Secret Chiefs

(Revision as of 08:50, 10 Oct 2004)

Secret Chiefs (sometimes "Secret Chiefs of the A.'.A.'.") Aleister Crowley's term for those praeternatural entities which direct the progress of humanity for ends that are usually beyond the ken of mortal men. The Secret Chiefs are of at least the grade of Magus and Magister Templi, may or may not be in human form depending on their own needs at the time, and are utterly unknown to the rest of humanity except in the very rare times when they find it part of their plan to reveal themselves to one person.

Crowley stated that he believes that Aiwass, who dictated the Book of the Law to him, and Ab-ul-Diz and Amalantrah, entities he contacted in other workings, were all Secret Chiefs. In Magick Without Tears he also stated he suspected that a man of his acquaintance (whom he did not name in that particular article) was also a Secret Chief.

The Secret Chiefs are possessed of immense powers, called the "Ophidian Vibrations" which allow them to "insinuate [themselves] into any desired set of circumstances." (MWT, 9:92) These powers allow the Secret Chiefs "to induce a girl to embroider a taperstry, or initiate a political movement to culminate in a world-war; all in pursuit of some plan wholly beyond the purview or the comprehension of the deepest and subtlest thinkers." (MWT, 9:92-93)

The primary discussion of the Secret Chiefs is in Magick Without Tears, chapter 9, although the term appears in many of Crowley's writings.

Source

Crowley, Aleister. Magick Without Tears. Israel Regardie, ed. New Falcon Publications, 1991.