The Holy Books of Thelema

(Revision as of 02:24, 24 Oct 2004)

The Holy Books of Thelema are those works that Aleister Crowley penned, but that he claimed were written through him—not by him. They therefore are to be considered 'inspired' works. The chief of these books, Liber AL vel Legis, is the only one that involved a voice dictating the text to him. Of all the others, Crowley writes in Confessions:

"The spirit came upon me and I wrote a number of books in a way which I hardly know how to describe. They were not taken from dictation like The Book of the Law nor were they my own composition. I cannot even call them automatic writing. I can only say that I was not wholly conscious at the time of what I was writing...I cannot doubt that these books are the work of an intelligence independent of my own."

The Thelemic Canon

Liber CCXX, Liber AL vel Legis, The Book of the Law—Within the canon of Thelemic Holy Scripture, the chief is The Book of the Law. Thelemites are expected to interpret the book for themselves, based on Aleister Crowley's commentaries and other writings; but are enjoined from promoting their personal interpretations to others.

Liber I (http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib1.html): Liber B vel Magi—An account of the Grade of Magus, the highest grade which it is even possible to manifest in any way whatsoever upon this plane.

Liber VII (http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib7.html): Liber Liberi vel Lapidis Lazuli]—These are the Birth Words of a Master of the Temple. It's 7 Chapters are referred to the 7 Planets in the following order: Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Sol, Mercury, Luna, Venus.

Liber X (http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib10.html): Liber Porta Lucis—An account of the sending forth of the Master Therion by the A.'.A.'. and an explanation of his mission.

Liber XXVII (http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib27.html): Liber Trigrammaton—Being a book of Trigrams of the Mutations of the Tao with the Yin and Yang. An account of the Cosmic process.

Liber LXV (http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib65.html): Liber Cordis Cincti Serpente—An account of the relations of the aspirant and his Holy Guardian Angel.

Liber LXVI (http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib66.html): Liber Stellae Rubeae—Sexual Magick veiled in symbolism.

Liber XC (http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib90.html): Liber Tzaddi vel Hamus Hermeticus—An account of Initiation, and an indication as to those who are suitable for the same.

Liber CLVI (http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib156.html): Liber Cheth vel Vallum Abiegni—Sexual Magick veiled in symbolism.

Liber CCXXXI (http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib231.html): Liber Arcanorum—An account of the cosmic process so far as it is indicated by the Tarot Trumps. The sequence of the 22 Trumps is explained as a formula of Initiation.

Liber CCCLXX (http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib370.html): Liber A'ash vel Capricorni Pneumatici—Analyzes the nature of the creative magical force in man, explains how to awaken it, how to use it and indicates the general as well as the particular objects to be gained thereby. Sexual Magick veiled in symbolism.

Liber CD (http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib400.html): Liber Tau vel Kabbalae Trium Literarum—A graphic interpretation of the Tarot on the plane of Initiation.

Liber DCCCXIII (http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib813.html): Ararita—An account of the Hexagram and the method of reducing it to the Unity and Beyond. This book describes in magical language a very secret process of Initiation.

References

Crowley, Aleister. (1988). The Holy Books of Thelema (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=scarletwomanl-20&path=tg/detail/-/0877286868/qid%3D1086975292/sr%3D1-1). Samuel Weiser:York Beach, Maine.

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