Regarding the Works of Aleister Crowley:
The Grand volume of Works and Writings by the late Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) has been given perhaps more attention than that of any other relatively modern writer on the subject of metaphysics and the occult. Under that name, and also Frater Achad, Perdurabo, The Master Therion, (and maybe others,) he has written many fantastic things that have the power to capture both the reasonable and emotional sides of our human imagination even today in the 21st century. To avoid paraphrasing or copying any information already written about the man, I will write from just my personal memory and thoughts regarding the man, and those works I have read. So please forgive me if I an inaccurate in any way, (as I am sure I will be.) Better yet, please take the time to correct me, or at least e-mail me a site that I can read and know. I will correct anything brought to my attention and give credit also, (if wanted,) upon this very page, and a link to that source if desired.
I must admit also my limitations as far as discussing the man and his works. Being born mid sixties and growing up when I did, I was always fascinated with the occult and magic. Before the age of ten I had read of this name and some of the descriptions of him and his work. Around age 12 I ran across an original hardback edition of "Magick in Theory and Practice" printed in the 20’s or 30’s I think. Of course, I had no idea what I had come upon at the time. I read most of it though admit I didn’t understand much. I found it too full of poetic visualisation and not enough practical information for my tastes. Perhaps too many words beyond my vocabulary at the time. I was more interested in the type of writing that could be found in the little books at the grocery checkout stand. The kind that told of drawing pentagrams in white chalk around doors and windows to keep away evil spirits, and tying bands of red and yellow cloth around your head to get rid of a headache!
Even though such things as I was interested in were not very scientific, I still considered myself a scientist in that I was interested in cause and effect. It made good sense that everything that happened had a cause. I could see this and apply it in my own reality and therefore understand it to be true. I could believe in it, unlike other things that people were trying to convince me I should believe in at the time. The works of the master were lost on me until I got older and began to dig deeper into things. At about the age of 16 I really started to get into the Kabbala. Understood numbers and angles (angels), volume, proportion, area, shape, spatial dimensions. It seemed to me there must be something to it so I went in full on. And I thought fully open to whatever I might find.
I found things that seemed purely scientific. Well thought out, logical, understandable and possibly provable in some way. I got the idea somewhere that it was all in the numbers somehow. Maybe the great Greeks like Pythagoras who said the world is built upon the power of numbers. Maybe just logic that showed everything could be defined by use of numbers. Numbers were the skeleton of definition upon which all science is founded. And the Kabbala certainly made use of numbers. So I was into studying all I could about this Kabbala. Of course, again the name of Crowley surfaces. As it turned out he had done an extensive amount of research upon the subject. He even went so far in one writing as to say himself that the whole key to everything mysterious was locked inside this strange, ancient Kabbalistic figure called the Tree of Life. So I sought out his works once more. I found a copy of "777", then "The Book of Thoth". I also got a copy, finally, of "The Book of the Law", which took MONTHS to get from Samuel Weiser Books in 1980! And I read and I read. Already I had come up with my own ideas. Just looking at the Tree there was something wrong with it. I try to explain more in my other pages but I can’t really say what it was or why it troubled me.
As I read so many of his descriptions of things I understood then and I got the distinct impression that HE knew also, it just didn’t match with this Tree. I am sure he knew this as he even writes about it. To avoid any possible copyright infringements I will not give quotes, but he does state there are defects in the system and tries to explain them away as of little significance. As an example; he writes (sometime between 1907 and 1909) that the ancient Hebrews had no knowledge of the existence of the planets Uranus and Neptune. For some basic information about these discrepancies it should first be clarified what the original kabbala was alledged to be - which was a map or diagram, so to speak, of all the powers of Creation. With this assumption alone it seems ridiculous not to have included both known powers as well as predicted ones which remained unknown at the time.
The Hebrews believed the Divine System to be comprised of Ten Spheres which were the Ten digits of the number system, and the 22 letters of their Alphabet. This was a total of 32 that fit neatly into the diagram called the Tree of Life. As Aleister Crowley began to work with this system he corrected it to include other powers that had apparently been left out of the original. There simply were not enough spaces in the number 32 to accomodate the power and influences he was attempting to categorise. He knew there had to be at least 3 more. The way he did this, I am certain he must have even questioned himself at the time.
The first way to gain an extra place on the tree was to add the number Ten itself rather than leave it simply as the Tenth power, which was originally Zero. To get two more places he split the numbers 31 and 32 so that each had two different meanings. This is what upset him the most and he described as a theoretical problem. Yet in this way, he managed to include 35 powers on that same old Tree of Life that was designed around 32. The only real problem with this was not the fact that he counted 3 more powers than the Hebrews had, but that they really didn't fit within the structure of the old Tree.
In my opinion, the only errors Mr Crowley made were due to belief in the system that was presented to him as authentic. It should bear mention though, the history of the Kabbala states that it was originally handed down purely by oral tradition. The first time it appears in a written form is in the 11th century A.D. Even at this time the traditionalists are said to have spoken of it being ever written down as a profanity to the Creator. It is upon this idea; that the mysterious secret wisdom was documented and called sacreligious; that the truth and authenticity of the works are based. So one must question this documentation I feel.
Firstly, would anyone who was taken into this secret society and knowing of the significance of such things ever be of the character to want to make them public and risk the wrath of God? Secondly, if they did wish to disclose such secrets would it not in some way indicate that they did not fully understand it in the first place? Thirdly, would it not be equally likely that they would deliberately hide some of it or hold it back so as to keep the whole power of it from ever being used by those unworthy? I think any and all of these possibilities is an acceptable explanation for doubt, and far more reasonable to assume than the widely held Kabbalistic belief: That being this sacred work handed down by the Creator verbally, to a chosen few, suddenly appeared intact, in writing, in the early 11th century. It is because of this reasoning that I question why such an intelligent, insightful, understanding, and gifted man such as Aleister Crowley, hold so faithfully in thought to a work which which most likely is inherently erroneous. I can understand why so many today still hold to this false concept as so many followed him and learned from his works as I have. I just can't understand why HE allowed himself to believe it when he knew something was wrong.
I don’t know why or how. I only have my ideas. The first comes to mind that he was a very sensitive man. I don’t think he wanted to defy anything or even to become the very definition of defiance he became by labeling himself "the Beast 666" This was not him!!! I think this was brought upon him. He accepted the label. He HAD challenged many things and had suffered the bad words and admonishments that come with so doing. He was in Victorian England! If not for the progress in industrialisation and other realms of thought at the time he’d have been burned alive!!! People in general oppose knew ideas without even thinking about it. What he did was a marvel in that time. I write this page to say what he didn’t see but I am compelled to say that maybe he DID see and DID know! Please, all ye believe in him don’t think I am about trashing the man at all for his errors. I live in 21st century United States. Hell! We can talk about almost anything without any authority being brought upon us. Even then we have still have rights we never would have had in the masters time. He WAS, and IS (as he wanted to be…) The Greatest Magician of the 20th century. And He always will be.
All I am doing is saying what he could not say, for whatever reason. Being a gentle man at heart and thinking he had made enough waves already with his philosophy and teachings, he didn’t go the distance he should have. When one teaches mysticism and the unknown they should Change as the universe and the world does. Perhaps he thought he was passing on the critical error to his chosen few. Maybe a few know and most who still follow teachings of A:.A:. or O.T.O. don’t but are still being taught false ways. I think it will most likely be those few who attack me and say I am in error, or that I have no place to say such things, but I will accept your challenge if ever presented. Those Good people (GOD people) who understand will know thy master, and he will not be reborn to you as a man but as a GODDESS.
To those who have followed and know who he always was and is now, may ye be blessed. To those who really feel the Old Law: "Do what thou wilt…" is true I say unto you cast ye no stones. For this law is law of selfishness and individuality and knows nothing of the universe. It is a law created when man was young and but a toy, When wast made the mistake of allowing divine will among humanity to decide for themselves. Gods and Goddesses are not meant to play in such ways and so the balance is undone. When once ye became as She and He this was undone and should have served no purpose. Yet it does and thy will doth breach into unholy realms of creation wherein ye will be undone. The Greatest secret ye can ever know is that the power within this world is undetermined and all who seek it out will fail to see through human hearts and minds.
To laugh with and love each other, or hate and kill each other, is up to you but the Universe waits. Know ye though that the final choice is yours as always it has been, and beware of any that claims to be the whole.