Thelemapedia - User contributions [en]

User:Lashtal

2008-11-25T13:34:23Z

Lashtal:

User:Lashtal

2007-08-27T13:53:28Z

Lashtal:

LAShTAL is the ''nom de Thelemapedia'' of Paul Feazey, owner and editor of [http://www.lashtal.com LAShTAL.COM]

User:Lashtal

2007-08-27T00:00:56Z

Lashtal:

LAShTAL is the ''non de Thelemapedia'' of Paul Feazey, owner and editor of [http://www.lashtal.com LAShTAL.COM]

User:Lashtal

2007-08-26T23:58:17Z

Lashtal:

LAShTAL is the ''non de Thelemapedia'' of Paul Feazey, owner and editor of [http://www.LAShTAL.com]

Links

2006-04-30T02:40:49Z

Lashtal: /* Thelema */

Here are links to sites that our editors recommend. If you are not an editor (learn how to become one [[Thelemapedia:Tutorial_%28Account%29|here]]) and want a link to your site on this page, please [mailto:editor@thelemapedia.org email the managing editor] with your request. If you would like to link to this site, check out our page of [[Thelemapedia:Promotion|banners]].

'''See also:''' [[Thelemapedia:Promotion|Promoting Thelemapedia]]

==Thelema==

*[http://thelema101.com Thelema Home Page]—a very good intro to the world of Thelema
*[http://www.babalon.net/ Babalon.net]—dedicated to the Holy Whore
*[http://93current.de/ Current 93]—numerous links and resources
*[http://www.lashtal.com/ LAShTAL.COM]—home of The Aleister Crowley Society

==Online Communities==

*[http://www.thelema.nu/ Thelema.nu]—a community for the new Aeon
*[http://www.scarletwoman.org/lounge/ The Lounge]—discussion forum of Scarlet Woman Lodge
*[http://www.occultforums.com/ Occult Forums]—kinda what it sounds like
*[http://groups-beta.google.com/group/Thelema Thelema@googlegroups] A Thelema e-list on Google's groups.

==Libraries & Thelemic Texts==

*[http://www.hermetic.com/ Hermetic.com]—A fantastic site with tons of Thelemic documents
*[http://www.sacred-texts.com The Internet Sacred Text Archive]—Incredible archive of sacred texts, including those of Thelema
*[http://www.rahoorkhuit.net/ Ra-Hoor-Khuit Network]—another huge library of Thelemic material
*[http://www.sacred-magick.com/ Sacred Magick]—Highly informative and very beautiful
*[http://www.gnosis.org/library.html The Gnostic Society Library]
*[http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/nhl.html Nag Hammadi Library]
*[http://www.esotericarchives.com/ Twilit Grotto]—Archives of Western Esoterica
*[http://www.the-equinox.org/ The Equinox]
*[http://larabell.org/Hanuman/ The Ape of Thoth]—search engine of Thelemic Holy Books and other verse-based works by Crowley
*[http://www.scarletwoman.org/scarletletter/ The Scarlet Letter]—archive of the journal of Scarlet Woman Lodge
*[http://www.sekhetmaat.com/journal/ Lion & Serpent]—archive of the journal of Sekhet-Maat Lodge
*[http://www.sekhetmaat.com/library Sekhet-Maat Lodge Library]—Information about this body's library including the OTO & Yorke archives and selected Sloane manuscripts on microfilm, and over 350 books in circulation.
*[http://larabell.org/Hanuman/Hanuman.cgi?input=liber999 The Book of the Inlaws] —A parody of the Book of the Law

==Individual voices==

*[http://www.thelemacoasttocoast.com/journal/ Thelema Coast to Coast] —weekly podcast
*[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/main.html The Invisible Basilica of Sabazius]
*[http://www.hermetic.com/dionysos/main.htm The Exposed Adytum of Dionysos Thriambos]
*[http://tim.maroney.org/ Archived materials of Tim Maroney]
*[http://www.LilyTears.com Brian Berge's LilyTears.com]
*[http://www.abrasax.net/ The Enlightenment of Fr. Abrasax]
*[http://lionserpent.com/ Homepage of Frater M.S.]
*[http://www.sexmagick.com/aisha/ Aisha Qadisha's Scorpio Rising]
*[http://www.ashami.com Eidolons of Ash]

==OTO==

*[http://oto-usa.org/ U.S. Grand Lodge, OTO]
*[http://oto-usa.org/history.html OTO History]
*[http://oto-usa.org/egc.html Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica]
*[http://oto-usa.org/faq.html OTO Frequently Asked Questions]
*[http://oto-usa.org/about_thelema.html About Thelema]

==Organizations and Orders==

*[http://www.thelemicknights.org/ Order of Thelemic Knights]—The first charitable chivalric knighthood to accept the Law of Thelema
*[http://corlucis.org/ Cor Lucis]—A Thelemic initiatory order based in Los Angeles
*[http://www.thelemicgoldendawn.org/ Thelemic Order of the Golden Dawn]
*[http://www.golden-dawn.com/ Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn]
*[http://www.osogd.org/ Open Source Order of the Golden Dawn] - Magical teaching order working the Golden Dawn and Thelemic esoteric systems.
*[http://www.thelema.net/ Hermetic Alchemical Order of the QBLH]
*[http://www.bota.org Builders of the Adytum]
*[http://www.amorc.org/ The Rosicrucian Order]—The Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC)
*[http://www.thelema.org/ College of Thelema]
*[http://www.outercol.org/ The A.'.A.'.]
*[http://www.astrumargentum.org.br/ A brazilian lineage of A.'.A.'. (under Frater QVIF orientation]
*[http://horusoftwohorizons.com/ Horus of Two Horizons]—Thelemic fundraising Association of Central Texas
*[http://www.hoor.org/ H.O.O.R.]—The Holy Order Of Ra-Hoor-Khuit
*[http://geocities.com/theototo/ One True Official Thelemic Organization]—just go there, okay?

==Encyclopedias==

*[http://www.occultopedia.com/ Occultopedia]
*[http://sourceryforge.org SourceryForge]

==Other traditions==
*[http://www.wicca-chat.com Wicca Chat]
*[http://www.magick.com.au/community/ Magick]—Tradition of Witchcraft online community
*[http://www.ecauldron.com The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum]—an active, friendly virtual community for members of Pagan religions

==Other links of interest==

*[http://www.chaosmagic.com/ ChaosMagic.com]—insane
*[http://heavenshell.net HeavensHell.net]—goth, fetish, occult, cool
*[http://www.spiritandsky.com Spirit And Sky]—"The Definitive Spiritual Directory"
*[http://www.aumara.com/ Aumara Light & Healing Circle]—A Place for Healing & Inspiration
*[http://www.SelfGrowth.com SelfGrowth.com]—Self Improvement, Personal Development and Natural Health.

===Search Engines & Directories===
<small>
[http://www.addpro.com Search Engine Submission & Optimization]<BR/>
[http://paraseek.com/ PARAseek]<br/>
[http://www.about-society.com AboutSociety.com]<br/>
[http://www.searchpixie.com Search Pixie]—a cost-effective way to reach lots of targeted customers<br/>
[http://www.spiritualminds.com SpiritualMinds.com]
</small>

User talk:Lashtal

2005-11-21T21:47:26Z

Lashtal:

Aleister Crowley

2005-11-21T21:46:13Z

Lashtal: /* Chess enthusiast */

{{partial}}
{{saint}}

'''Aleister Crowley''' (Oct. 12, 1875-Dec. 1, [[1947]]) — however one judges him — was a fascinating man who lived an amazing life. He is best known as being an infamous [[occult]]ist and the scribe of [[The Book of the Law]], which introduced [[Thelema]] to the world. Crowley was an influential member in several occult organizations, including the [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn|Golden Dawn]], the [[A.'.A.'.]], and [[Ordo Templi Orientis]]. He was a prolific writer and poet, a world traveler, mountaineer, chess master, artist, yogi, social provocateur, drug addict and sexual libertine. The press loved to demonize him and dubbed Crowley “The wickedest man in the world.”

==A brief summary of major events==

'''Edward Alexander Crowley''' was born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire on October 12, 1875. His parents were members of the [[Plymouth Brethren]], an extremely devout Christian sect. It was in this Christian childhood that he came to refer to himself as [[The Beast]] [[666]]. He was also fortunate to be heir to a small brewing fortune, which he largely used for travel and publishing his works over his lifetime.

He entered Trinity College at Cambridge in 1895, and left just before finishing his degree. He was initiated into the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in 1898. The next year he purchased [[Boleskine|Boleskine House]] at Loch Ness in order to perform the ritual known as the [[Abramelin|Abra-Melin Operation]].
{{93}}
In 1900 Crowley traveled to Mexico where he was initiated as a 33° [[Freemasonry|Mason]].

In 1902 he began the practice of [[yoga]] in Ceylon with [[Allan Bennett]], an associate from the Golden Dawn. He returned to Boleskine in 1903 and married [[Edith Rose Kelly]], the sister of the painter Sir Gerald Kelly. On their honeymoon, they visited Cairo, Egypt in 1904. It is here that he came to write [[The Book of the Law]] on April 8, 9, and 10.

In 1907 Crowley founded the Order he called the [[A.'.A.'.]] Two years later, he divorced Rose and traveled to the Sahara Desert with poet [[Victor Neuberg]], where they performed a series of rituals that resulted in the book ''[[The Vision and the Voice]]''.

In 1913 Crowley was initiated into [[Ordo Templi Orientis]] by [[Theodor Reuss]]. The following year Crowley was advanced to the X° and became head of O.T.O. in Great Britain and Ireland. That same year, while on a trip to Moscow, he wrote the [[Liber XV|Gnostic Mass]].

With the beginning of WWI, Crowley retired to America in 1914, where he began editing the publication ''The International''. He returned to Europe in 1919. The next year he founded the [[Abbey of Thelema]] in Cefalú, Sicily -- an experimental commune based on the principles of Thelema and inspired by the works of [[Rabelais]]. He was expelled from Italy by Mussolini in 1923. During his time at Cefalú, in 1922, Crowley proclaimed himself Outer Head of the Order of O.T.O.

In 1929 Crowley took his second wife, [[Maria de Miramar]] — a native of Nicaragua — although she eventually succumbed to mental delusions and died in an institution three decades later.

By 1935, largely because of his lifelong self-publishing efforts and a lost libel suit, Crowley had lost his personal fortune and settled into bankruptcy. For the next decade he kept himself afloat through publishing and occasional help from associates and students. His final years were characterized by poor health and heroin addiction alongside a continued zeal for promulgating Thelema. In 1945, he retired to [[Netherwood]], a boarding house in Hastings, England. On December 1, 1947, at the age of 71, and with his son [[Ataturk Crowley|Ataturk]] by his bed, Aleister Crowley good-spiritedly and quietly celebrated his [[The Feast for Death|Greater Feast]]. His ashes were later buried next to a tree in Hampton, New Jersey on the property of [[Karl Germer]] (Crowley’s successor to OHO).

==Occultism==

===Prophet of Thelema===

Perhaps Crowley's most significant contribution was bringing [[Thelema]] into the world with the [[Reception of Liber Legis|reception]] of [[The Book of the Law]] on April 8, 9, and 10, 1904. The writing occurred in Cairo, Egypt, where Crowley and his new wife, [[Rose Crowley|Rose]] were honeymooning. On March 16, Crowley had attempted a ritual to show his wife elemental beings called [[Sylphs]]. Although she didn't see them, she apparently did begin to channel a series message to Crowley over the next few days regarding [[Horus]] and "a child." Crowley is highly skeptical and questions the veracity of the message, finally becoming satisfied when Rose pointed out Horus to him on a funerary tablet in the Bulaq Museum (labeled "Stele [[666]]" and eventually becoming known as the [[Stele of Revealing]]). These events culminate in the actual three days of writing, each of which took place at noon in a chamber of their flat which was used as a temple. (See: [[Reception of Liber Legis]])

Initially, Crowley rejected this document. He writes of himself in ''Magick'' (p.444):

::[Crowley], to whom this revelation was made with so many signs and wonders, was himself unconvinced. He struggled against it for years. Not until the completion of His own initiation at the end of I909 did he understand how perfectly he was bound to carry out this work. Again and again He turned away from it, took it up for a few days or hours, then laid it aside. He even attempted to destroy its value, to nullify the result.

And

::I have fought this Book and fled it; I have defiled it and I have suffered for its sake.

Yet, after his acceptance of Liber Legis, Crowley was a tireless advocate of its teachings (as he interpreted them) and labored for the rest of his life to promulgate the Law of Thelema. He founded the [[A.'.A.'.]] in 1907 and he adapted the initiations rituals of [[Ordo Templi Orientis]], both of which were largely based on the principles of Thelema. He wrote countless letters, essays, and epistles regarding Thelema, including [http://www.scarletwoman.org/docs/docs_message.html The Message of the Master Therion], [http://www.scarletwoman.org/docs/docs_lege.html De Lege Libellum], and [http://www.scarletwoman.org/docs/docs_liberty.html The Law of Liberty]; and he wrote [[The Gnostic Mass]] in 1911 based on Liber AL as well.

Crowley was convinced of the objective truth of Liber Legis, and that its speaker, [[Aiwass]], was both his [[Holy Guardian Angel]] and in possession of knowledge completely unavailable to Crowley. He writes in ''Magick:'' "Man has no such fact recorded, by proof established in surety beyond cavil of critic, as this Book, to witness the existence of and Intelligence praeterhuman and articulate, purposefully interfering in the philosophy, religion, ethics, economics and politics of the Planet." This knowledge, as Crowley understood it, represented the formula of an entire age of mankind, which he referred to as the [[Aeon of Horus]], the Word of which is [[Thelema]], which had been ushered in by himself as its prophet.

Thelemites today hold a wide spectrum of beliefs regarding Crowley's status as prophet. Some view Crowley as he did himself—the literal messenger of a new spiritual Law for mankind. Others believe that "Aiwass" was simply an unconscious (or even fraudulent pseudonym) of Crowley, and that the merit of the Book rests solely on its content without need for objective verification. Yet others disregard Crowley altogether. However, it is reasonable to say that Crowley still plays a very large role in the understanding of Thelema, and his words are constantly used to promulgate its doctrines today.

===Mystic & yogi===

===Golden Dawn, A.'.A.'. and O.T.O.===

==Family==

Crowley's father was Edward Crowley (1834-1887)—a wealthy retired brewer (Crowley Ale) and lay preacher of the [[Plymouth Brethren]] sect—and his mother was Emily Bertha Bishop (d.1941). Crowley's paternal grandparents were Edward and Mary Sparrow (m. 1823) who also had uncle Jonathan (m. Agnes Pope), and aunts Mary and Sarah.

On the death of his father, Crowley was sent to live with his maternal uncle, Tom Bishop, who was by all accounts a bully towards young Alexander.

Crowley married twice in his lifetime. The first was to Rose Edith Kelly (July 23, 1874 - 1932). They were married in 1903 and divorced in 1909. Rose is considered to be Crowley's first [[Scarlet Woman]], and aided him in his finding of the [[Stele of Revealing]] and the writing of [[The Book of the Law]]. His second wife was [[Maria de Miramar|Maria Teresa de Miramar]]—born 1894 in Nicaragua. They were married in 1929. They never were divorced, although by 1930 their marriage had collapsed, largely due to Maria's worsening mental condition. She died sometime in the 1960s in the Colney Hatch Mental Hospital in New Southgate (Sutin, p.395).

Crowley had five children in his life:

* Nuit Ma Ahathoor Hecate Sappho Jezebel Lilith (July 1904-Spring 1906)—daughter of [[Rose Crowley]]
* Lola Zaza (b.1906)—daughter of Rose Crowley
* Anne Léa "Poupée" (Feb. 1920-Oct. 14, 1920)—daughter of [[Leah Hirsig]]
* Astarte Lulu Panthea (b. 1920)—daughter of [[Ninette Shumway]]
* Aleister Ataturk (b.1938)—son of [[Patricia MacAlpine|Patricia "Deidre" MacAlpine]]

==Author==

Crowley was an incredibly prolific writer, having left behind dozens of books, hundreds of essays, a host of rituals and ceremonies, and a countless number of personal letters and daily journal entries. He wrote poems, short stories, magazine articles, novels, criticism, plays, and more.

===Books===
Some of his best known books are:

*[[The Book of the Law]]
*Magick, Book 4
*The Book of Lies
*The Vision and the Voice
*777 and Other Qabalistic Writings
*Confessions of Aleister Crowley
*The Equinox (a series of publications in book format)
*Magick Without Tears

For a more complete listing of published books, see [[Works of Aleister Crowley (Books)]]

===Libers===

Most of Crowley's most influential work was in the form of "Libers" (lit. "books"), which were usually shorter items consisting of core teachings, methodologies, practices, or Thelemic scripture. All the libers are given a number in the Greek numbering system, and those that are part of the A.'.A.'. curriculum are assigned a "class" as follows:
*Class [A] consists of books of which may be changed not so much as the style of a letter: that is, they represent the utterance of an Adept entirely beyond the criticism of even the Visible Head of the Organization.
*Class [B] consists of books or essays which are the result of ordinary scholarship, enlightened and earnest.
*Class [C] consists of matter which is to be regarded rather as suggestive than anything else.
*Class [D] consists of the Official Rituals and Instructions.
*Class [E] consists of manifestos, broadsides, epistles and other public statements. Some publications are composite, and pertain to more than one class.

Many of his Libers appeared in published books, especially editions of ''The Equinox'' and ''The Holy Books of Thelema,'' although some Libers are books in their own right (such as ''Magick'', which is Liber 4).

For a complete listing of Crowley's Libers, see [[Works of Aleister Crowley (Libers)]]

===Fiction===

Many of his fiction works, such as the "Simon Iff" detective stories and ''Moonchild'' have not received significant notice outside of occult circles. However his work ''Diary Of A Drug Fiend'', while fictional, reflects his views about his own addictions to heroin and cocaine.

===Poetry===

Crowley was also a prolific poet.

For more on Crowley's poetry, see [[Works of Aleister Crowley (Poetry)]]

==Other aspects==

===Artist===

Crowley was a gifted, if technically unsophisticated, artist and painter "in what might loosely be called the Expressionist mode" (Sutin, p.5). In 1931, an exhibition of his work was hosted at the Galerie Neumann-Nierendorf in Berlin which served to up his reputation in Germany, but it is not known if he actually sold any paintings.

A modern art show for Crowley's work was put on at the October Gallery in London in April of 1998. The show was facilitated by OHO [[Hymenaeus Beta]] and attended by [[Martin Starr]] and [[Kenneth Anger]]. By all accounts it was well attended and successful in renewing interest in Crowley as a painter.

====Quotes====
*"The average man cannot believe that an artist may be as serious and highminded an observer of life as the professed man of science." —''Confessions'', p.138

*"It is at least the case that I have no use for artists who have lost touch with tradition and see nature secondhand. I think I have kept my head pretty square on my shoulders in the turmoil of the recent revolutions. I find myself able to distinguish between the artist whose eccentricities and heresies interpret his individual peculiarities and the self-advertising quack who tries to be original by outdoing the most outrageous heresiarch of the moment."—''Confessions'', p.584

*" "Las Meninas" [by Goya] is worshiped in a room consecrated solely to itself, and I spent more of my mornings in that room and let it soak in. I decided then, and might concur still had I not learnt the absurdity of trying to ascribe an order to things which are each unique and absolute, that "Las Meninas" is the greatest picture in the world. It certainly taught me to know the one thing that I care to learn about painting: that the subject of a picture is merely an excuse for arranging forms and colours in such a way as to express the inmost self of the artist." —''Confessions'', p.585

===Mountaineer===

Crowley was an accomplished mountain climber is his time, and is still mentioned in mountaineering literature (although silly rumors and his reputation in the yellow press are often mentioned). He owed his ability to [[Oscar Eckenstein]], who was not only a highly skilled climber, but also had a great interest in Eastern philosophy (which had a distinct influence on Crowley).

Crowley made some significant climbs, including a 1902 attempt on Chogo Ri (or K2), the second tallest peak in the world. On that climb, the expedition achieved a record: "the greatest number of days spent on a glacier—65 days on the Baltoro" (''Equinox of the Gods'' Ch.1). He also had the record for "the greatest pace uphill over 16,000 feet—4,000 feet in 1 hour 23 minutes on Iztaccihuatl in 1900" (''Ibid'').

Crowley is also known for his 1905 attempt (and failure) on Kanchenjunga in the Himalayas—a peak that would not be successfully ascended until 1955. On the upward climb, a porter fell to his death in the process of leaving the expedition. More porters accused Crowley of beating them, and a general mutiny began among them and the other core climbers (namely Guillarmod and de Righi), based on Crowley's route (which was later vouched as a good one in 1954), his supposed ill-treatment of the porters, and the bad feelings between him and several of the climbers. Guillarmod took charge, leading the bulk of the men back down. On that descent, a porter's stumble triggered an avalanche that buried four men under ten feet of snow. It took three days of digging to recover their bodies. Crowley, remaining in the higher camp, did not respond to the cries for help when the avalanche began, a fact which later demonized him in mountaineering circles.

===Chess enthusiast===

Crowley learned to play chess at the age of six and first competed on the Eastbourne College chess team (where he was taking classes in 1892). He showed immediate competence, besting the adult champion in town and even editing a chess column for the local newspaper, the ''Eastbourne Gazette'' (Sutin, p.33), which he often used to criticize the Eastbourne team. He later joined the university chess club at Cambridge, where he beat the president in his freshman year and practiced two hours a day towards becoming a champion—"My one serious worldly ambition had been to become the champion of the world at chess" (''Confessions,'' p.193).

However, he gave up his chess aspirations in 1897 when attending a chess conference in Berlin:

::But I had hardly entered the room where the masters were playing when I was seized with what may justly be described as a mystical experience. I seemed to be looking on at the tournament from outside myself. I saw the masters—one, shabby, snuffy and blear-eyed; another, in badly fitting would-be respectable shoddy; a third, a mere parody of humanity, and so on for the rest. These were the people to whose ranks I was seeking admission. "There, but for the grace of God, goes Aleister Crowley," I exclaimed to myself with disgust, and there and then I registered a vow never to play another serious game of chess. I perceived with praeternatural lucidity that I had not alighted on this planet with the object of playing chess. (''Confessions,'' Ch.16).

Crowley wrote some brief notes of guidance on the playing chess and gave them, together with a "pocket chess set", to Grady McMurtry. Following the latter's death they were given by the OTO to one of Crowley's grandsons, a son of Aleister Ataturk.

===Freemason===
====List of Crowley’s Masonic degrees====

*33° of the Scottish Rite in Mexico From Don Jesus Medina.
“Don Jesus Medina, a descendant of the great duke of Armada fame, and one of the highest chiefs of Scottish Rite free-masonry. My cabbalistic knowledge being already profound by current standards, he thought me worthy of the highest initiation in his power to confer; special powers were obtained in view of my limited sojourn, and I was pushed rapidly through and admitted to the thirty-third and last degree before I left the country.” - The Confessions of Aleister Crowley (1969), pp. 202-203.

*3° In France by the Anglo-Saxon Lodge No. 343, a Lodge chartered in 1899 by the Grande Loge de France, a body unrecognised by the United Grand Lodge of England, on 29 June 1904.

*33° of the irregular 'Cerneau' Scottish Rite From John Yarker

*90°/95° of the Rite of Memphis/Misraim. From John Yarker.

But as it turns out, The Grand Lodge Of England the official body of Freemasonry did not recognize any of the above bodies as being true Freemasonry. Thus Crowley never was an “official” Freemason and when he understood this he started to change the O.T.O. rituals to remove the Masonic content.

“Crowley quickly realized that the post-Yarker era meant change. He was not rebellious by reflex, at least where old British institutions were concerned. He undoubtedly believed O.T.O. had authority from Yarker to work the Ancient and Primitive Rite's equivalent to the Craft degrees in England, but once made aware of the issue of regularity when having his own French Masonic credentials declined, he was not defiant and on his own made changes to the O.T.O. to avoid conflict. He inserted notices into the last number of The Equinox to the effect that the O.T.O. did not infringe upon the just privileges of the Grand Lodge of England.

During WWI Crowley worked slightly revised English Craft rituals in America, but despite the absence of a central Grand Lodge, he met with objections from masonic authorities. He then rewrote the O.T.O. rituals for I° - III° so that they no longer resembled Craft masonry degrees in language, theme or intent.” - Frater Superior [[Hymenaeus Beta]] The Magical Link Vol. IX No. 1

==A counter culture icon==

==Name change, magical mottoes, and pseudonyms==

===Name change===

Crowley was born Edward Alexander Crowley, and was nicknamed "Aleck" by his mother. In ''Confessions'' (p.139-140), he explains his adoption of "Aleister":

::For many years I had loathed being called Alick, partly because of the unpleasant sound and sight of the word, partly because it was the name by which my mother called me. Edward did not seem to suit me and the diminutives Ted or Ned were even less appropriate. Alexander was too long and Sandy suggested tow hair and freckles. I had read in some book or other that the most favorable name for becoming famous was one consisting of a dactyl followed by a spondee, as at the end of a hexameter: like "Jeremy Taylor". Aleister Crowley fulfilled these conditions and Aleister is the Gaelic form of Alexander. To adopt it would satisfy my romantic ideals. The atrocious spelling A-L-E-I-S-T-E-R was suggested as the correct form by Cousin Gregor, who ought to have known better. In any case, A-L-A-I-S-D-A-I-R makes a very bad dactyl. For these reasons I saddled myself with my present nom-de-guerre—I can't say that I feel sure that I facilitated the process of becoming famous. I should doubtless have done so, whatever name I had chosen.

===Magical mottoes===

*'''[[Perdurabo]]''' ("I will endure til the end")—Neophyte
*'''[[Parzival]]''' —Adeptus Minor
*'''Ol Sonuf Vaoresaji''' ("I reign over ye")—Adeptus Major
*'''Ou Mh''' (O.M.—" No, definitely no! or Not Yet!")—Adeptus Exemptus
*'''Vi Veri Vniversum Vivus Vici''' (V.V.V.V.V.—"By the force of truth, I, while living, have conquered the Universe")—Magister Templi
*'''[[To Mega Therion]]''' ("The Great Beast")—Magus
*'''[[Baphomet]]''' as the X° in [[Ordo Templi Orientis|O.T.O.]]
*'''[[The Beast]] [[666]]'''
*'''[[Ankh-af-na-khonsu|Ankh-af-na-Khonsu]]'''
* '''Khaled Khan'''

=== Pseudonyms and aliases===

This is but a short list of his dozens of aliases he used for many magazine and newspaper articles:

<table><tr><td style="margin-right:10px;" valign=top>
*Abhavananda
*Herr Hermann Rudolph Von Alastor
*Ananda Vigga
*Gerard Aumont
*Francis Bendick
*George Archibald Bishop
*Reverend P. D. Carey
*Elaine Carr
*H. D. Carr
*Christeos Luciftias
*Cor Scorpionis
*Alex C. Crowley
*Alys Cusack
*O Dhammaloyu
*Fra. H. I. Edinburgh
*Michael Fairfax
*Comte De Fenix
*Percy Flage
*James Grahame
</td><td style="margin-right:10px;" valign=top>
*Arthur Grimble
*Cyril Gustance
*Oliver Haddo
*C. S. Hiller
*Lemuel S. Innocent
*Dost Achiha Khan
*Lavinia King
*Ko Hsuan
*Ko Yuen
*St. Maurice E. Kulm
*Maria Lavroff
*Lord Boleskine
*Major Lutiy
*Mahatma Guru Sri Paramahansa Shivaji
*Mahatma Sri Paramananda Guru Swamiji
*S. J. Mills
*Martial Nay
*Percy W. Newlands
*Hilda Norfolk
</td><td valign=top>
*Sheamus O'Brien
*G.H.S. Pinsent
*Katharine S. Prichard
*George Raffalovich
*Ethel Ramsay
*Barbey De Rochechouart
*John Roberts
*Mary Smith
*Edward Storer
*Count Vladimir Svareff
*Ta Dhuibh
*Alice Wesley Torr
*J. Turner
*Rev. C. Verey
*Leo Vincey
*Mark Wells
*Thomas Wentworth
</td></tr></table>

==See also==
*[[Thelema]]
*[[Works of Aleister Crowley]]
*[[The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn]]
*[[Ordo Templi Orientis]]
*[[A.'.A.'.]]
*[[Magick]]
*[[The Gnostic Mass]]
*[[Reception of Liber Legis]]

==External links==
*[http://www.abrasax.net/timeline.htm A Crowley Timeline]
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke Contemporary media accounts and photographic portraits]
*[http://www.93current.de/crowley.shtml The 93 Current]—many links for Crowley resources
*[http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/research/fa/crowley.aleister.html The Aleister Crowley Collection] at the Harry Ransom Center, U.T., in Austin, TX
*[http://www.redflame93.com/DeskReference.html Red Flame Desk Reference]—A complete catalog of Crowley's published works
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/modules.php?op=modload&name=Downloads&file=index&req=viewdownload&cid=3 Collection of chess columns written by Crowley]
* [http://www.aleistercrowleysociety.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=11 Gallery of Crowley's artwork]

==References==
*O.T.O. (2005). ''[http://oto-usa.org/crowley.html Aleister Crowley]''
*Red Flame. (2005). [http://www.redflame93.com/DeskReference.html Aleister Crowley Desk Reference]
*Sutin, Lawrence. (2002). ''Do What Thou Wilt : A Life of Aleister Crowley.'' New York : St. Martin's Griffin.
*Crowley, Aleister. (1974). ''Equinox of the Gods.'' New York, NY : Gordon Press.
*____. (1979). The Confessions of Aleister Crowley. London;Boston : Routledge & Kegan Pa
*Hymenaeus Beta. (1998). "Good Show". ''The Magical Link.'' New Series #2, Spring-Fall 1998.
[[Category:Aleister Crowley]] [[Category:Thelema]] [[Category:Past Masters]] [[Category:A.'.A.'.]] [[Category:Golden Dawn]] [[Category:Ordo Templi Orientis]] [[Category:The Gnostic Saints]]

Boleskine House

2005-11-21T21:43:14Z

Lashtal: /* Links of Interest */

'''Boleskine House''' (''boll-ESS-kin'') was the estate of [[Aleister Crowley]] from 1899 to 1913. It is located on the South-Eastern shore of Loch Ness in Scotland. It was built in the late 18th century by Archibald Fraser.

Crowley purchased the home in order to perform the operation found in ''The Book of the Sacred Magick of Abra-Melin the Mage'' (see [[Abramelin Operation]]). In order to perform it, Crowley (1989) says,
:''One must have a house where proper precautions against disturbance can be taken; this being arranged, there is really nothing to do but to aspire with increasing fervor and concentration, for six months, towards the obtaining of the Knowledge and Conversation of the [[Holy Guardian Angel]].''

In ''Confessions'' (Ch. 22), he continues:
:''The first essential is a house in a more or less secluded situation. There should be a door opening to the north from the room of which you make your oratory. Outside this door, you construct a terrace covered with fine river sand. This ends in a "lodge" where the spirits may congregate.''

Crowley eventually sold the manor in order to fund the publication of [[The Equinox]], Vol. III. However, he later alleged that the funds were stolen by the Grand Treasurer General of the [[Ordo Templi Orientis|Order]], George MacNie Cowie. (The extensive mortgaging of the house by that time may in fact have left little funds to steal.)

For a short time in the 1970s, Boleskine was owned by famed Led Zeppelin guitarist, Jimmy Page.

==The Kiblah of Thelema==

Aleister Crowley considered Boleskine to be the [[Thelema|Thelemic]] [[Kiblah]], the holiest of shrines. It is is mentioned by name in several rituals written by Crowley, and is identified with the East. It is considered to be the focal point of the [[magick|magical]] energies (also called the [[93 Current]]) of the [[Aeon of Horus]], similar to Jerusalem of [[Christianity]] and [[Mecca]] of [[Islam]].

Specifically the [[Gnostic Mass]] (described in [http://www.scarletwoman.org/docs/docs_mass.html Liber XV]) and the Ritual of the Mark of the Beast (in [http://hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib5.html Liber V]) both identify the principal orientation (sometimes known as "Magical East") as being towards Boleskine.

As Sabalius (1998) notes:
:''Thus, the location of Boleskine House is to be the Omphalos or Center of Power for Thelema, and is to continue as such for the duration of the Aeon of Horus, regardless of the physical presence of the Stèle or of the house itself. Thus, O.T.O. Lodges, Profess-Houses and Gnostic Mass Temples are ideally to be oriented towards Boleskine.''

==The house==

Boleskin House is located on the South-Eastern shore of Loch Ness in Scotland at latitude 57.14 N., longitude 4.28 W.

Crowley describes Boleskine in ''Confessions'':
:''The house is a long low building. I set apart the south-western half for my work. The largest room has a bow window and here I made my door and constructed the terrace and lodge. In side the room I set up my oratory proper. This was a wooden structure, lined in part with the big mirrors which I brought from London.''

The home includes the entrance hall, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a drawing room, dining room, family room, kitchen, utility room, and the cellars. The grounds (about 47 acres) includes the Gate Lodge, which was originally the home for a coachman. It has a living room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom, as well as a pond, small garden and an orchard.

==Links of Interest==
*[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/7069/bole-1.html Boleskine House] at G.M. Kelly's ''Castle of the Silver Star''
*[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kiblah.htm The Kiblah], by Sabazius X°
*[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kiblahcomp.htm Computing The Kiblah], instructions to determine the direction of Boleskine

==References==

*Crowley, Aleister. (1979). ''The Confessions of Aleister Crowley.'' London;Boston : Routledge & Kegan Paul.
*____. (1997). ''Magick: Book 4.'' 2nd ed. York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*Sabazius. (1998). ''[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kiblah.htm The Kiblah].'' Retrieved on Sept. 30, 2004.
[[Category:Thelema]][[Category:History]][[Category:Places & Things]]

Boleskine House

2005-11-21T21:42:36Z

Lashtal: /* References */

'''Boleskine House''' (''boll-ESS-kin'') was the estate of [[Aleister Crowley]] from 1899 to 1913. It is located on the South-Eastern shore of Loch Ness in Scotland. It was built in the late 18th century by Archibald Fraser.

Crowley purchased the home in order to perform the operation found in ''The Book of the Sacred Magick of Abra-Melin the Mage'' (see [[Abramelin Operation]]). In order to perform it, Crowley (1989) says,
:''One must have a house where proper precautions against disturbance can be taken; this being arranged, there is really nothing to do but to aspire with increasing fervor and concentration, for six months, towards the obtaining of the Knowledge and Conversation of the [[Holy Guardian Angel]].''

In ''Confessions'' (Ch. 22), he continues:
:''The first essential is a house in a more or less secluded situation. There should be a door opening to the north from the room of which you make your oratory. Outside this door, you construct a terrace covered with fine river sand. This ends in a "lodge" where the spirits may congregate.''

Crowley eventually sold the manor in order to fund the publication of [[The Equinox]], Vol. III. However, he later alleged that the funds were stolen by the Grand Treasurer General of the [[Ordo Templi Orientis|Order]], George MacNie Cowie. (The extensive mortgaging of the house by that time may in fact have left little funds to steal.)

For a short time in the 1970s, Boleskine was owned by famed Led Zeppelin guitarist, Jimmy Page.

==The Kiblah of Thelema==

Aleister Crowley considered Boleskine to be the [[Thelema|Thelemic]] [[Kiblah]], the holiest of shrines. It is is mentioned by name in several rituals written by Crowley, and is identified with the East. It is considered to be the focal point of the [[magick|magical]] energies (also called the [[93 Current]]) of the [[Aeon of Horus]], similar to Jerusalem of [[Christianity]] and [[Mecca]] of [[Islam]].

Specifically the [[Gnostic Mass]] (described in [http://www.scarletwoman.org/docs/docs_mass.html Liber XV]) and the Ritual of the Mark of the Beast (in [http://hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib5.html Liber V]) both identify the principal orientation (sometimes known as "Magical East") as being towards Boleskine.

As Sabalius (1998) notes:
:''Thus, the location of Boleskine House is to be the Omphalos or Center of Power for Thelema, and is to continue as such for the duration of the Aeon of Horus, regardless of the physical presence of the Stèle or of the house itself. Thus, O.T.O. Lodges, Profess-Houses and Gnostic Mass Temples are ideally to be oriented towards Boleskine.''

==The house==

Boleskin House is located on the South-Eastern shore of Loch Ness in Scotland at latitude 57.14 N., longitude 4.28 W.

Crowley describes Boleskine in ''Confessions'':
:''The house is a long low building. I set apart the south-western half for my work. The largest room has a bow window and here I made my door and constructed the terrace and lodge. In side the room I set up my oratory proper. This was a wooden structure, lined in part with the big mirrors which I brought from London.''

The home includes the entrance hall, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a drawing room, dining room, family room, kitchen, utility room, and the cellars. The grounds (about 47 acres) includes the Gate Lodge, which was originally the home for a coachman. It has a living room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom, as well as a pond, small garden and an orchard.

==Links of Interest==
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=76 A Description of Boleskine House] at LAShTAL.COM
*[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/7069/bole-1.html Boleskine House] at G.M. Kelly's ''Castle of the Silver Star''
*[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kiblah.htm The Kiblah], by Sabazius X°
*[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kiblahcomp.htm Computing The Kiblah], instructions to determine the direction of Boleskine
*[http://www.aleistercrowleysociety.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=6 Boleskine Images]—more images
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=95 An Account of a Weekend at Boleskine House] at LAShTAL.COM
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/ LAShTAL.COM] members are also able to download an extensive portfolio of documents relating to Boleskine House

==References==

*Crowley, Aleister. (1979). ''The Confessions of Aleister Crowley.'' London;Boston : Routledge & Kegan Paul.
*____. (1997). ''Magick: Book 4.'' 2nd ed. York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*Sabazius. (1998). ''[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kiblah.htm The Kiblah].'' Retrieved on Sept. 30, 2004.
[[Category:Thelema]][[Category:History]][[Category:Places & Things]]

Aleister Crowley

2005-08-31T08:33:33Z

Lashtal: /* Chess enthusiast */

{{partial}}
{{saint}}

'''Aleister Crowley''' (Oct. 12, 1875-Dec. 1, 1947) — however one judges him — was a fascinating man who lived an amazing life. He is best known as being an infamous [[occult]]ist and the scribe of [[The Book of the Law]], which introduced [[Thelema]] to the world. Crowley was an influential member in several occult organizations, including the [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn|Golden Dawn]], the [[A.'.A.'.]], and [[Ordo Templi Orientis]]. He was a prolific writer and poet, a world traveler, mountaineer, chess master, artist, yogi, social provocateur, drug addict and sexual libertine. The press loved to demonize him and dubbed Crowley “The wickedest man in the world.”
[[Image:Crowley2.jpg|right|frame|Edward Alexander "Aleister" Crowley]]

==A brief summary of major events==

'''Edward Alexander Crowley''' was born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire on October 12, 1875. His parents were members of the [[Plymouth Brethren]], an extremely devout Christian sect. It was in this Christian childhood that he came to refer to himself as [[The Beast]] [[666]]. He was also fortunate to be heir to a small brewing fortune, which he largely used for travel and publishing his works over his lifetime.

He entered Trinity College at Cambridge in 1895, and left just before finishing his degree. He was initiated into the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in 1898. The next year he purchased [[Boleskine|Boleskine House]] at Loch Ness in order to perform the ritual known as the [[Abramelin|Abra-Melin Operation]].
{{93}}
In 1900 Crowley traveled to Mexico where he was initiated as a 33° [[Freemasonry|Mason]].

In 1902 he began the practice of [[yoga]] in Ceylon with [[Allan Bennett]], an associate from the Golden Dawn. He returned to Boleskine in 1903 and married [[Edith Rose Kelly]], the sister of the painter Sir Gerald Kelly. On their honeymoon, they visited Cairo, Egypt in 1904. It is here that he came to write [[The Book of the Law]] on April 8, 9, and 10.

In 1907 Crowley founded the Order he called the [[A.'.A.'.]] Two years later, he divorced Rose and traveled to the Sahara Desert with poet [[Victor Neuberg]], where they performed a series of rituals that resulted in the book ''[[The Vision and the Voice]]''.

In 1913 Crowley was initiated into [[Ordo Templi Orientis]] by [[Theodor Reuss]]. The following year Crowley was advanced to the X° and became head of O.T.O. in Great Britain and Ireland. That same year, while on a trip to Moscow, he wrote the [[Liber XV|Gnostic Mass]].

With the beginning of WWI, Crowley retired to America in 1914, where he began editing the publication ''The International''. He returned to Europe in 1919. The next year he founded the [[Abbey of Thelema]] in Cefalú, Sicily -- an experimental commune based on the principles of Thelema and inspired by the works of [[Rabelais]]. He was expelled from Italy by Mussolini in 1923. During his time at Cefalú, in 1922, Crowley proclaimed himself Outer Head of the Order of O.T.O.

In 1929 Crowley took his second wife, [[Maria de Miramar]] — a native of Nicaragua — although she eventually succumbed to mental delusions and died in an institution three decades later.

By 1935, largely because of his lifelong self-publishing efforts and a lost libel suit, Crowley had lost his personal fortune and settled into bankruptcy. For the next decade he kept himself afloat through publishing and occasional help from associates and students. His final years were characterized by poor health and heroin addiction alongside a continued zeal for promulgating Thelema. In 1945, he retired to [[Netherwood]], a boarding house in Hastings, England. On December 1, 1947, at the age of 71, and with his son [[Ataturk Crowley|Ataturk]] by his bed, Aleister Crowley good-spiritedly and quietly celebrated his [[The Feast for Death|Greater Feast]]. His ashes were later buried next to a tree in Hampton, New Jersey on the property of [[Karl Germer]] (Crowley’s successor to OHO).

==Occultism==

===Prophet of Thelema===

Perhaps Crowley's most significant contribution was bringing [[Thelema]] into the world with the [[Reception of Liber Legis|reception]] of [[The Book of the Law]] on April 8, 9, and 10, 1904. The writing occurred in Cairo, Egypt, where Crowley and his new wife, [[Rose Crowley|Rose]] were honeymooning. On March 16, Crowley had attempted a ritual to show his wife elemental beings called [[Sylphs]]. Although she didn't see them, she apparently did begin to channel a series message to Crowley over the next few days regarding [[Horus]] and "a child." Crowley is highly skeptical and questions the veracity of the message, finally becoming satisfied when Rose pointed out Horus to him on a funerary tablet in the Bulaq Museum (labeled "Stele [[666]]" and eventually becoming known as the [[Stele of Revealing]]). These events culminate in the actual three days of writing, each of which took place at noon in a chamber of their flat which was used as a temple. (See: [[Reception of Liber Legis]])

Initially, Crowley rejected this document. He writes of himself in ''Magick'' (p.444):

::[Crowley], to whom this revelation was made with so many signs and wonders, was himself unconvinced. He struggled against it for years. Not until the completion of His own initiation at the end of I909 did he understand how perfectly he was bound to carry out this work. Again and again He turned away from it, took it up for a few days or hours, then laid it aside. He even attempted to destroy its value, to nullify the result.

And

::I have fought this Book and fled it; I have defiled it and I have suffered for its sake.

Yet, after his acceptance of Liber Legis, Crowley was a tireless advocate of its teachings (as he interpreted them) and labored for the rest of his life to promulgate the Law of Thelema. He founded the [[A.'.A.'.]] in 1907 and he adapted the initiations rituals of [[Ordo Templi Orientis]], both of which were largely based on the principles of Thelema. He wrote countless letters, essays, and epistles regarding Thelema, including [http://www.scarletwoman.org/docs/docs_message.html The Message of the Master Therion], [http://www.scarletwoman.org/docs/docs_lege.html De Lege Libellum], and [http://www.scarletwoman.org/docs/docs_liberty.html The Law of Liberty]; and he wrote [[The Gnostic Mass]] in 1911 based on Liber AL as well.

Crowley was convinced of the objective truth of Liber Legis, and that its speaker, [[Aiwass]], was both his [[Holy Guardian Angel]] and in possession of knowledge completely unavailable to Crowley. He writes in ''Magick:'' "Man has no such fact recorded, by proof established in surety beyond cavil of critic, as this Book, to witness the existence of and Intelligence praeterhuman and articulate, purposefully interfering in the philosophy, religion, ethics, economics and politics of the Planet." This knowledge, as Crowley understood it, represented the formula of an entire age of mankind, which he referred to as the [[Aeon of Horus]], the Word of which is [[Thelema]], which had been ushered in by himself as its prophet.

Thelemites today hold a wide spectrum of beliefs regarding Crowley's status as prophet. Some view Crowley as he did himself—the literal messenger of a new spiritual Law for mankind. Others believe that "Aiwass" was simply an unconscious (or even fraudulent pseudonym) of Crowley, and that the merit of the Book rests solely on its content without need for objective verification. Yet others disregard Crowley altogether. However, it is reasonable to say that Crowley still plays a very large role in the understanding of Thelema, and his words are constantly used to promulgate its doctrines today.

===Mystic & yogi===

===Golden Dawn, A.'.A.'. and O.T.O.===

==Family==

Crowley's father was Edward Crowley (1834-1887)—a wealthy retired brewer (Crowley Ale) and lay preacher of the [[Plymouth Brethren]] sect—and his mother was Emily Bertha Bishop (d.1941). Crowley's paternal grandparents were Edward and Mary Sparrow (m. 1823) who also had uncle Jonathan (m. Agnes Pope), and aunts Mary and Sarah.

On the death of his father, Crowley was sent to live with his maternal uncle, Tom Bishop, who was by all accounts a bully towards young Alexander.

Crowley married twice in his lifetime. The first was to Rose Edith Kelly (July 23, 1874 - 1932). They were married in 1903 and divorced in 1909. Rose is considered to be Crowley's first [[Scarlet Woman]], and aided him in his finding of the [[Stele of Revealing]] and the writing of [[The Book of the Law]]. His second wife was [[Maria de Miramar|Maria Teresa de Miramar]]—born 1894 in Nicaragua. They were married in 1929. They never were divorced, although by 1930 their marriage had collapsed, largely due to Maria's worsening mental condition. She died sometime in the 1960s in the Colney Hatch Mental Hospital in New Southgate (Sutin, p.395).

Crowley had five children in his life:

* Nuit Ma Ahathoor Hecate Sappho Jezebel Lilith (July 1904-Spring 1906)—daughter of [[Rose Crowley]]
* Lola Zaza (b.1906)—daughter of Rose Crowley
* Anne Léa "Poupée" (Feb. 1920-Oct. 14, 1920)—daughter of [[Leah Hirsig]]
* Astarte Lulu Panthea (b. 1920)—daughter of [[Ninette Shumway]]
* Aleister Ataturk (b.1938)—son of [[Patricia MacAlpine|Patricia "Deidre" MacAlpine]]

==Author==

Crowley was an incredibly prolific writer, having left behind dozens of books, hundreds of essays, a host of rituals and ceremonies, and a countless number of personal letters and daily journal entries. He wrote poems, short stories, magazine articles, novels, criticism, plays, and more.

===Books===
Some of his best known books are:

*[[The Book of the Law]]
*Magick, Book 4
*The Book of Lies
*The Vision and the Voice
*777 and Other Qabalistic Writings
*Confessions of Aleister Crowley
*The Equinox (a series of publications in book format)
*Magick Without Tears

For a more complete listing of published books, see [[Works of Aleister Crowley (Books)]]

===Libers===

Most of Crowley's most influential work was in the form of "Libers" (lit. "books"), which were usually shorter items consisting of core teachings, methodologies, practices, or Thelemic scripture. All the libers are given a number in the Greek numbering system, and those that are part of the A.'.A.'. curriculum are assigned a "class" as follows:
*Class [A] consists of books of which may be changed not so much as the style of a letter: that is, they represent the utterance of an Adept entirely beyond the criticism of even the Visible Head of the Organization.
*Class [B] consists of books or essays which are the result of ordinary scholarship, enlightened and earnest.
*Class [C] consists of matter which is to be regarded rather as suggestive than anything else.
*Class [D] consists of the Official Rituals and Instructions.
*Class [E] consists of manifestos, broadsides, epistles and other public statements. Some publications are composite, and pertain to more than one class.

Many of his Libers appeared in published books, especially editions of ''The Equinox'' and ''The Holy Books of Thelema,'' although some Libers are books in their own right (such as ''Magick'', which is Liber 4).

For a complete listing of Crowley's Libers, see [[Works of Aleister Crowley (Libers)]]

===Fiction===

Many of his fiction works, such as the "Simon Iff" detective stories and ''Moonchild'' have not received significant notice outside of occult circles. However his work ''Diary Of A Drug Fiend'', while fictional, reflects his views about his own addictions to heroin and cocaine.

===Poetry===

Crowley was also a prolific poet.

For more on Crowley's poetry, see [[Works of Aleister Crowley (Poetry)]]

==Other aspects==
[[Image:Crowley_painting.jpg|right|frame|"Femme Dangereuse—Alice Appleton" (1935-1936)]]
===Artist===

Crowley was a gifted, if technically unsophisticated, artist and painter "in what might loosely be called the Expressionist mode" (Sutin, p.5). In 1931, an exhibition of his work was hosted at the Galerie Neumann-Nierendorf in Berlin which served to up his reputation in Germany, but it is not known if he actually sold any paintings.

A modern art show for Crowley's work was put on at the October Gallery in London in April of 1998. The show was facilitated by OHO [[Hymenaeus Beta]] and attended by [[Martin Starr]] and [[Kenneth Anger]]. By all accounts it was well attended and successful in renewing interest in Crowley as a painter.

====Quotes====
*"The average man cannot believe that an artist may be as serious and highminded an observer of life as the professed man of science." —''Confessions'', p.138

*"It is at least the case that I have no use for artists who have lost touch with tradition and see nature secondhand. I think I have kept my head pretty square on my shoulders in the turmoil of the recent revolutions. I find myself able to distinguish between the artist whose eccentricities and heresies interpret his individual peculiarities and the self-advertising quack who tries to be original by outdoing the most outrageous heresiarch of the moment."—''Confessions'', p.584

*" "Las Meninas" [by Goya] is worshiped in a room consecrated solely to itself, and I spent more of my mornings in that room and let it soak in. I decided then, and might concur still had I not learnt the absurdity of trying to ascribe an order to things which are each unique and absolute, that "Las Meninas" is the greatest picture in the world. It certainly taught me to know the one thing that I care to learn about painting: that the subject of a picture is merely an excuse for arranging forms and colours in such a way as to express the inmost self of the artist." —''Confessions'', p.585

===Mountaineer===
[[Image:Photo_k2.jpg|right|frame|The 1902 K2 party: Wesseley, Eckenstein, Guillarmod, Crowley, Pfannl, & Knowles]]
Crowley was an accomplished mountain climber is his time, and is still mentioned in mountaineering literature (although silly rumors and his reputation in the yellow press are often mentioned). He owed his ability to [[Oscar Eckenstein]], who was not only a highly skilled climber, but also had a great interest in Eastern philosophy (which had a distinct influence on Crowley).

Crowley made some significant climbs, including a 1902 attempt on Chogo Ri (or K2), the second tallest peak in the world. On that climb, the expedition achieved a record: "the greatest number of days spent on a glacier—65 days on the Baltoro" (''Equinox of the Gods'' Ch.1). He also had the record for "the greatest pace uphill over 16,000 feet—4,000 feet in 1 hour 23 minutes on Iztaccihuatl in 1900" (''Ibid'').

Crowley is also known for his 1905 attempt (and failure) on Kanchenjunga in the Himalayas—a peak that would not be successfully ascended until 1955. On the upward climb, a porter fell to his death in the process of leaving the expedition. More porters accused Crowley of beating them, and a general mutiny began among them and the other core climbers (namely Guillarmod and de Righi), based on Crowley's route (which was later vouched as a good one in 1954), his supposed ill-treatment of the porters, and the bad feelings between him and several of the climbers. Guillarmod took charge, leading the bulk of the men back down. On that descent, a porter's stumble triggered an avalanche that buried four men under ten feet of snow. It took three days of digging to recover their bodies. Crowley, remaining in the higher camp, did not respond to the cries for help when the avalanche began, a fact which later demonized him in mountaineering circles.

===Chess enthusiast===

Crowley learned to play chess at the age of six and first competed on the Eastbourne College chess team (where he was taking classes in 1892). He showed immediate competence, besting the adult champion in town and even editing [http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/modules.php?op=modload&name=Downloads&file=index&req=viewdownload&cid=3 a chess column for the local newspaper], the ''Eastbourne Gazette'' (Sutin, p.33), which he often used to criticize the Eastbourne team. He later joined the university chess club at Cambridge, where he beat the president in his freshman year and practiced two hours a day towards becoming a champion—"My one serious worldly ambition had been to become the champion of the world at chess" (''Confessions,'' p.193).

However, he gave up his chess aspirations in 1897 when attending a chess conference in Berlin:

::But I had hardly entered the room where the masters were playing when I was seized with what may justly be described as a mystical experience. I seemed to be looking on at the tournament from outside myself. I saw the masters—one, shabby, snuffy and blear-eyed; another, in badly fitting would-be respectable shoddy; a third, a mere parody of humanity, and so on for the rest. These were the people to whose ranks I was seeking admission. "There, but for the grace of God, goes Aleister Crowley," I exclaimed to myself with disgust, and there and then I registered a vow never to play another serious game of chess. I perceived with praeternatural lucidity that I had not alighted on this planet with the object of playing chess. (''Confessions,'' Ch.16).

Crowley wrote some brief notes of guidance on the playing chess and gave them, together with a "pocket chess set", to Grady McMurtry. Following the latter's death they were given by the OTO to one of Crowley's grandsons, a son of Aleister Ataturk. These notes are available for download from [http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/ LAShTAL.COM].

===Freemason===
====List of Crowley’s Masonic degrees====

*33° of the Scottish Rite in Mexico From Don Jesus Medina.
“Don Jesus Medina, a descendant of the great duke of Armada fame, and one of the highest chiefs of Scottish Rite free-masonry. My cabbalistic knowledge being already profound by current standards, he thought me worthy of the highest initiation in his power to confer; special powers were obtained in view of my limited sojourn, and I was pushed rapidly through and admitted to the thirty-third and last degree before I left the country.” - The Confessions of Aleister Crowley (1969), pp. 202-203.

*3° In France by the Anglo-Saxon Lodge No. 343, a Lodge chartered in 1899 by the Grande Loge de France, a body unrecognised by the United Grand Lodge of England, on 29 June 1904.

*33° of the irregular 'Cerneau' Scottish Rite From John Yarker

*90°/95° of the Rite of Memphis/Misraim. From John Yarker.

But as it turns out, The Grand Lodge Of England the official body of Freemasonry did not recognize any of the above bodies as being true Freemasonry. Thus Crowley never was an “official” Freemason and when he understood this he started to change the O.T.O. rituals to remove the Masonic content.

“Crowley quickly realized that the post-Yarker era meant change. He was not rebellious by reflex, at least where old British institutions were concerned. He undoubtedly believed O.T.O. had authority from Yarker to work the Ancient and Primitive Rite's equivalent to the Craft degrees in England, but once made aware of the issue of regularity when having his own French Masonic credentials declined, he was not defiant and on his own made changes to the O.T.O. to avoid conflict. He inserted notices into the last number of The Equinox to the effect that the O.T.O. did not infringe upon the just privileges of the Grand Lodge of England.

During WWI Crowley worked slightly revised English Craft rituals in America, but despite the absence of a central Grand Lodge, he met with objections from masonic authorities. He then rewrote the O.T.O. rituals for I° - III° so that they no longer resembled Craft masonry degrees in language, theme or intent.” - Frater Superior [[Hymenaeus Beta]] The Magical Link Vol. IX No. 1

==A counter culture icon==

==Name change, magical mottoes, and pseudonyms==

===Name change===

Crowley was born Edward Alexander Crowley, and was nicknamed "Aleck" by his mother. In ''Confessions'' (p.139-140), he explains his adoption of "Aleister":

::For many years I had loathed being called Alick, partly because of the unpleasant sound and sight of the word, partly because it was the name by which my mother called me. Edward did not seem to suit me and the diminutives Ted or Ned were even less appropriate. Alexander was too long and Sandy suggested tow hair and freckles. I had read in some book or other that the most favorable name for becoming famous was one consisting of a dactyl followed by a spondee, as at the end of a hexameter: like "Jeremy Taylor". Aleister Crowley fulfilled these conditions and Aleister is the Gaelic form of Alexander. To adopt it would satisfy my romantic ideals. The atrocious spelling A-L-E-I-S-T-E-R was suggested as the correct form by Cousin Gregor, who ought to have known better. In any case, A-L-A-I-S-D-A-I-R makes a very bad dactyl. For these reasons I saddled myself with my present nom-de-guerre—I can't say that I feel sure that I facilitated the process of becoming famous. I should doubtless have done so, whatever name I had chosen.

===Magical mottoes===

*'''[[Perdurabo]]''' ("I will endure til the end")—Neophyte
*'''[[Parzival]]''' —Adeptus Minor
*'''Ol Sonuf Vaoresaji''' ("I reign over ye")—Adeptus Major
*'''Ou Mh''' (O.M.—" No, definitely no! or Not Yet!")—Adeptus Exemptus
*'''Vi Veri Vniversum Vivus Vici''' (V.V.V.V.V.—"By the force of truth, I, while living, have conquered the Universe")—Magister Templi
*'''[[To Mega Therion]]''' ("The Great Beast")—Magus
*'''[[Baphomet]]''' as the X° in [[Ordo Templi Orientis|O.T.O.]]
*'''[[The Beast]] [[666]]'''
*'''[[Ankh-af-na-khonsu|Ankh-af-na-Khonsu]]'''
* '''Khaled Khan'''

=== Pseudonyms and aliases===

This is but a short list of his dozens of aliases he used for many magazine and newspaper articles:

<table><tr><td style="margin-right:10px;" valign=top>
*Abhavananda
*Herr Hermann Rudolph Von Alastor
*Ananda Vigga
*Gerard Aumont
*Francis Bendick
*George Archibald Bishop
*Reverend P. D. Carey
*Elaine Carr
*H. D. Carr
*Christeos Luciftias
*Cor Scorpionis
*Alex C. Crowley
*Alys Cusack
*O Dhammaloyu
*Fra. H. I. Edinburgh
*Michael Fairfax
*Comte De Fenix
*Percy Flage
*James Grahame
</td><td style="margin-right:10px;" valign=top>
*Arthur Grimble
*Cyril Gustance
*Oliver Haddo
*C. S. Hiller
*Lemuel S. Innocent
*Dost Achiha Khan
*Lavinia King
*Ko Hsuan
*Ko Yuen
*St. Maurice E. Kulm
*Maria Lavroff
*Lord Boleskine
*Major Lutiy
*Mahatma Guru Sri Paramahansa Shivaji
*Mahatma Sri Paramananda Guru Swamiji
*S. J. Mills
*Martial Nay
*Percy W. Newlands
*Hilda Norfolk
</td><td valign=top>
*Sheamus O'Brien
*G.H.S. Pinsent
*Katharine S. Prichard
*George Raffalovich
*Ethel Ramsay
*Barbey De Rochechouart
*John Roberts
*Mary Smith
*Edward Storer
*Count Vladimir Svareff
*Ta Dhuibh
*Alice Wesley Torr
*J. Turner
*Rev. C. Verey
*Leo Vincey
*Mark Wells
*Thomas Wentworth
</td></tr></table>

==See also==
*[[Thelema]]
*[[Works of Aleister Crowley]]
*[[The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn]]
*[[Ordo Templi Orientis]]
*[[A.'.A.'.]]
*[[Magick]]
*[[The Gnostic Mass]]
*[[Reception of Liber Legis]]

==External links==
*[http://www.abrasax.net/timeline.htm A Crowley Timeline]
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke Contemporary media accounts and photographic portraits]
*[http://www.93current.de/crowley.shtml The 93 Current]—many links for Crowley resources
*[http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/research/fa/crowley.aleister.html The Aleister Crowley Collection] at the Harry Ransom Center, U.T., in Austin, TX
*[http://www.redflame93.com/DeskReference.html Red Flame Desk Reference]—A complete catalog of Crowley's published works
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/modules.php?op=modload&name=Downloads&file=index&req=viewdownload&cid=3 Collection of chess columns written by Crowley]
* [http://www.aleistercrowleysociety.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=11 Gallery of Crowley's artwork]

==References==
*O.T.O. (2005). ''[http://oto-usa.org/crowley.html Aleister Crowley]''
*Red Flame. (2005). [http://www.redflame93.com/DeskReference.html Aleister Crowley Desk Reference]
*Sutin, Lawrence. (2002). ''Do What Thou Wilt : A Life of Aleister Crowley.'' New York : St. Martin's Griffin.
*Crowley, Aleister. (1974). ''Equinox of the Gods.'' New York, NY : Gordon Press.
*____. (1979). The Confessions of Aleister Crowley. London;Boston : Routledge & Kegan Pa
*Hymenaeus Beta. (1998). "Good Show". ''The Magical Link.'' New Series #2, Spring-Fall 1998.
[[Category:Aleister Crowley]] [[Category:Thelema]] [[Category:Past Masters]] [[Category:A.'.A.'.]] [[Category:Golden Dawn]] [[Category:Ordo Templi Orientis]] [[Category:The Gnostic Saints]]

Boleskine House

2005-08-30T07:20:56Z

Lashtal: /* Links of Interest */

[[Image:Boleskine5.jpg|right|frame|Boleskine House, Loch Ness, Scotland / © 2004 LAShTAL.COM/Doug Brown]]
'''Boleskine House''' (''boll-ESS-kin'') was the estate of [[Aleister Crowley]] from 1899 to 1913. It is located on the South-Eastern shore of Loch Ness in Scotland. It was built in the late 18th century by Archibald Fraser.

Crowley purchased the home in order to perform the operation found in ''The Book of the Sacred Magick of Abra-Melin the Mage'' (see [[Abramelin Operation]]). In order to perform it, Crowley (1989) says,
:''One must have a house where proper precautions against disturbance can be taken; this being arranged, there is really nothing to do but to aspire with increasing fervor and concentration, for six months, towards the obtaining of the Knowledge and Conversation of the [[Holy Guardian Angel]].''

In ''Confessions'' (Ch. 22), he continues:
:''The first essential is a house in a more or less secluded situation. There should be a door opening to the north from the room of which you make your oratory. Outside this door, you construct a terrace covered with fine river sand. This ends in a "lodge" where the spirits may congregate.''

Crowley eventually sold the manor in order to fund the publication of [[The Equinox]], Vol. III. However, he later alleged that the funds were stolen by the Grand Treasurer General of the [[Ordo Templi Orientis|Order]], George MacNie Cowie. (The extensive mortgaging of the house by that time may in fact have left little funds to steal.)

For a short time in the 1970s, Boleskine was owned by famed Led Zeppelin guitarist, Jimmy Page.

==The Kiblah of Thelema==

Aleister Crowley considered Boleskine to be the [[Thelema|Thelemic]] [[Kiblah]], the holiest of shrines. It is is mentioned by name in several rituals written by Crowley, and is identified with the East. It is considered to be the focal point of the [[magick|magical]] energies (also called the [[93 Current]]) of the [[Aeon of Horus]], similar to Jerusalem of [[Christianity]] and [[Mecca]] of [[Islam]].

Specifically the [[Gnostic Mass]] (described in [http://www.scarletwoman.org/docs/docs_mass.html Liber XV]) and the Ritual of the Mark of the Beast (in [http://hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib5.html Liber V]) both identify the principal orientation (sometimes known as "Magical East") as being towards Boleskine.

As Sabalius (1998) notes:
:''Thus, the location of Boleskine House is to be the Omphalos or Center of Power for Thelema, and is to continue as such for the duration of the Aeon of Horus, regardless of the physical presence of the Stèle or of the house itself. Thus, O.T.O. Lodges, Profess-Houses and Gnostic Mass Temples are ideally to be oriented towards Boleskine.''

==The house==

Boleskin House is located on the South-Eastern shore of Loch Ness in Scotland at latitude 57.14 N., longitude 4.28 W.

Crowley describes Boleskine in ''Confessions'':
:''The house is a long low building. I set apart the south-western half for my work. The largest room has a bow window and here I made my door and constructed the terrace and lodge. In side the room I set up my oratory proper. This was a wooden structure, lined in part with the big mirrors which I brought from London.''

The home includes the entrance hall, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a drawing room, dining room, family room, kitchen, utility room, and the cellars. The grounds (about 47 acres) includes the Gate Lodge, which was originally the home for a coachman. It has a living room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom, as well as a pond, small garden and an orchard.

==Links of Interest==
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=76 A Description of Boleskine House] at LAShTAL.COM
*[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/7069/bole-1.html Boleskine House] at G.M. Kelly's ''Castle of the Silver Star''
*[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kiblah.htm The Kiblah], by Sabazius X°
*[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kiblahcomp.htm Computing The Kiblah], instructions to determine the direction of Boleskine
*[http://www.aleistercrowleysociety.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=6 Boleskine Images]—more images
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=95 An Account of a Weekend at Boleskine House] at LAShTAL.COM
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/ LAShTAL.COM] members are also able to download an extensive portfolio of documents relating to Boleskine House

==References==

*Crowley, Aleister. (1979). ''The Confessions of Aleister Crowley.'' London;Boston : Routledge & Kegan Paul.
*____. (1997). ''Magick: Book 4.'' 2nd ed. York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*Sabazius. (1998). ''[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kiblah.htm The Kiblah].'' Retrieved on Sept. 30, 2004.
*LAShTAL.COM. (2004). ''[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=76 A Description of Boleskine House].'' Retrieved on Sept. 30, 2004.
[[Category:Thelema]][[Category:History]][[Category:Places & Things]]

Netherwood

2005-06-23T06:34:22Z

Lashtal: /* References */

{{partial}}

'''Netherwood''' is located in the historic town of Hastings along the southern coast of England about 26 miles from London. Netherwood was a four acre estate located about two miles from the coast and five hundred feet above sea level at the northern end of Hastings along what is known as The Ridge. It was the final home of [[Aleister Crowley]], who died there in 1947.
[[Image:netherwood.jpg|frame|Netherwood, Hastings—the final home of Aleister Crowley. This photo shows the front of the boarding house, which faces south.]]

Tax records dating back to the late nineteenth century show the property to have originally been owned by a baroness. It was sold in the early twentieth century and owned by more than one individual before being purchased by Vernon and Kathleen Symonds. The Symondses frequently invited artists and intellectuals to the property and exchanged lodging for a lecture or performance.

Louis Wilkinson persuaded the couple to take in Aleister Crowley who moved into Netherwood in late August or very early September of 1945. Although Crowley spent much of his time in his room writing late into the night he got along well with both the owners and guests. He died at Netherwood on December 1, 1947 of pneumonia.

The Netherwood estate was eventually sold to developers and turned into a housing area ("Netherwood Close") sometime in the 1970s. As of 1998 there were two portions of Netherwood standing, both located on the northeast corner of the estate. One is the coach house which is occupied by a family. The other is the east wing of the original estate and is now a restaurant and bar.

==References==
*Davies, Rodney. ''[http://www.21stcenturyradio.com/articles/03/1001231.html The Last Days of Aleister Crowley, The Great Beast, at Hastings]''. Retrieved 2/3/05.

Netherwood

2005-06-23T06:33:47Z

Lashtal: /* References */

Netherwood

2005-06-23T06:33:14Z

Lashtal: /* References */

Aleister Crowley

2005-06-06T23:29:00Z

Lashtal: /* Chess enthusiast */

{{partial}}
{{saint}}

'''Aleister Crowley''' (Oct. 12, 1876-Dec. 1, 1947) — however one judges him — was a fascinating man who lived an amazing life. He is best known as being an infamous [[occult]]ist and the scribe of [[The Book of the Law]], which introduced [[Thelema]] to the world. Crowley was an influential member in several occult organizations, including the [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn|Golden Dawn]], the [[A.'.A.'.]], and [[Ordo Templi Orientis]]. He was a prolific writer and poet, a world traveller, mountaineer, chess master, artist, yogi, social provocateur, and sexual libertine. The press loved to demonize him and dubbed Crowley “The wickedest man in the world.”
[[Image:Crowley2.jpg|right|frame|Edward Alexander "Aleister" Crowley]]

==A brief summary of major events==

'''Edward Alexander Crowley''' was born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire on October 12, 1875. His parents were members of the [[Plymouth Brethren]], an extremely devout Christian sect. It was in this Christain childhood that he came to refer to himself as [[The Beast]] [[666]]. He was also fortunate to be heir to a small brewing fortune, which he largely used for travel and publishing his works over his lifetime.

He entered Trinity College at Cambridge in 1895, and left just before finishing his degree. He was initiated into the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in 1898. The next year he purchased [[Boleskine|Boleskine House]] at Loch Ness in order to perform the ritual known as the [[Abramelin|Abra-Melin Operation]].
{{93}}
In 1900 Crowley travels to Mexico where he is initiated as a 33° [[Freemasonry|Mason]].

In 1902 he begins the practice of [[yoga]] in Caylon with [[Allen Bennett]], an associate from the Golden Dawn. He returns to Boleskine in 1903 and marries [[Edith Rose Kelly]], the sister of the painter, Sir Gerald Kelly. On their honeymoon, they visit Cairo, Egypt in 1904. It is here that he comes to write [[The Book of the Law]] on April 8, 9, and 10.

In 1907 Crowley founds the Order he calls the [[A.'.A.'.]] Two years later, he diverces Rose and travels to the Sahara Desert with poet [[Victor Neuberg]], where they perform a series of rituals that results in the book ''[[The Vision and the Voice]]''.

In 1913 Crowley is initiated into [[Ordo Templi Orientis]] by [[Theodor Reuss]]. The following year Crowley is advanced to the X° and becomes head of O.T.O. in Great Brittain and Ireland. That same year, while on a trip to Moscow, he writes the [[Liber XV|Gnostic Mass]].

With the beginning of WWI, Crowley retires to America in 1914, where he begins editing the publication ''The International''. He returns to Europe in 1919. The next year he founds the [[Abbey of Thelema]] in Cefalú, Sicily—an experimental commune based on the principles of Thelema, and inspired by the works of [[Rabelais]]—and were expelled from Italy by Mussolini in 1923. During his time at Cefalú, in 1922, Crowley proclaims himself Outer Head of the Order of O.T.O.

In 1929 Crowley takes his second wife, [[Maria de Miramar]] — a native of Nicaragua — although she eventually succumbed to mental delusions and died in an institution three decades later.

By 1935, based on his lifelong self-publishing efforts, and a lost libel suit, Crowley had lost his personal fortune and settled into bankruptcy. For the next decade he kept himself afloat through publishing and occasional help from associates and students. His final years were characterized by poor health and heroin addiction alongside a continued zeal for promulgating Thelema. In 1945, he retired to [[Netherwood]], a boarding house in Hastings, England. On December 1, 1947, at the age of 71 and with his son [[Ataturk Crowley|Ataturk]] by his bed, Aleister Crowley good-spiritedly and quietly celebrated his [[The Feast for Death|Greater Feast]]. His ashes were later buried next to a tree in Hampton, New Jersey on the property of [[Karl Germer]] (Crowley’s successor to OHO).

==Occultism==

===Prophet of Thelema===

===Mystic & yogi===

===Golden Dawn, A.'.A.'. and O.T.O.===

==Family==

Crowley's father was Edward Crowley (1834-1887)—a wealthy retired brewer (Crowley Ale) and lay preacher of the [[Plymouth Brethren]] sect—and his mother was Emily Bertha Bishop (d.1941). Crowley's paternal grandparents were Edward and Mary Sparrow (m. 1823) who also had uncle Jonathan (m. Agnes Pope), and aunts Mary and Sarah.

On the death of his father, Crowley was sent to live with his maternal uncle, Tom Bishop, who was by all accounts a bully towards young Alexander.

Crowley married twice in his lifetime. The first was to Rose Edith Kelly (July 23, 1874 - 1932). They were married in 1903 and divorced in 1909. Rose is considered to be Crowley's first [[Scarlet Woman]], and aided him in his finding of the [[Stele of Revealing]] and the writing of [[The Book of the Law]]. His second wife was [[Maria de Miramar|Maria Teresa de Miramar]]—born 1894 in Nicaragua. They were married in 1929. They never were divorced, although by 1930 their marriage had collapsed, largely due to Maria's worsening mental condition. She died sometime in the 1960s in the Colney Hatch Mental Hospital in New Southgate (Sutin, p.395).

Crowley had five children in his life:

* Nuit Ma Ahathoor Hecate Sappho Jezebel Lilith (July 1904-Spring 1906)—daughter of [[Rose Crowley]]
* Lola Zaza (b.1906)—daughter of Rose Crowley
* Anne Léa "Poupée" (Feb. 1920-Oct. 14, 1920)—daughter of [[Leah Hirsig]]
* Astarte Lulu Panthea (b. 1920)—daughter of [[Ninette Shumway]]
* Aleister Ataturk (b.1938)—son of [[Patricia MacAlpine|Patricia "Deidre" MacAlpine]]

==Author==

Crowley was an incredibly prolific writer, having left behind dozens of books, hundreds of essays, a host of rituals and ceremonies, and a countless number of personal letters and daily journal entries. He wrote poems, short stories, magazine articles, novels, criticism, plays, and more.

===Books===
Some of his best known books are:

*[[The Book of the Law]]
*Magick, Book 4
*The Book of Lies
*The Vision and the Voice
*777 and Other Qabalistic Writings
*Confessions of Aleister Crowley
*The Equinox (a series of publications in book format)
*Magick Without Tears

For a more complete listing of published books, see [[Works of Aleister Crowley (Books)]]

===Libers===

Most of Crowley's most influential work was in the form of "Libers" (lit. "books"), which were usually shorter items consisting of core teachings, methodologies, practices, or Thelemic scripture. All the libers are given a number in the Greek numbering system, and those that are part of the A.'.A.'. curriculum are assigned a "class" as follows:
*Class [A] consists of books of which may be changed not so much as the style of a letter: that is, they represent the utterance of an Adept entirely beyond the criticism of even the Visible Head of the Organization.
*Class [B] consists of books or essays which are the result of ordinary scholarship, enlightened and earnest.
*Class [C] consists of matter which is to be regarded rather as suggestive than anything else.
*Class [D] consists of the Official Rituals and Instructions.
*Class [E] consists of manifestos, broadsides, epistles and other public statements. Some publications are composite, and pertain to more than one class.

Many of his Libers appeared in published books, especially editions of ''The Equinox'' and ''The Holy Books of Thelema,'' although some Libers are books in their own right (such as ''Magick'', which is Liber 4).

For a complete listing of Crowley's Libers, see [[Works of Aleister Crowley (Libers)]]

===Poetry===

Crowley was also a prolific poet.

For more on Crowley's poetry, see [[Works of Aleister Crowley (Poetry)]]

==Other aspects==
[[Image:Crowley_painting.jpg|right|frame|"Femme Dangereuse—Alice Appleton" (1935-1936)]]
===Artist===

Crowley was a gifted, if technically unsophisticated, artist and painter "in what might loosely be called the Expressionist mode" (Sutin, p.5). In 1931, an exhibition of his work was hosted at the Galerie Neumann-Nierendorf in Berlin which served to up his reputation in Germany, but it is not known if he actually sold any paintings.

A modern art show for Crowley's work was put on at the October Gallery in London in April of 1998. The show was facilitated by OHO [[Hymenaeus Beta]] and attended by [[Martin Starr]] and [[Kenneth Anger]]. By all accounts it was well attended and successful in renewing interest in Crowley as a painter.

====Quotes====
*"The average man cannot believe that an artist may be as serious and highminded an observer of life as the professed man of science." —''Confessions'', p.138

*"It is at least the case that I have no use for artists who have lost touch with tradition and see nature secondhand. I think I have kept my head pretty square on my shoulders in the turmoil of the recent revolutions. I find myself able to distinguish between the artist whose eccentricities and heresies interpret his individual peculiarities and the self-advertising quack who tries to be original by outdoing the most outrageous heresiarch of the moment."—''Confessions'', p.584

*" "Las Meninas" [by Goya] is worshipped in a room consecrated solely to itself, and I spent more of my mornings in that room and let it soak in. I decided then, and might concur still had I not learnt the absurdity of trying to ascribe an order to things which are each unique and absolute, that "Las Meninas" is the greatest picture in the world. It certainly taught me to know the one thing that I care to learn about painting: that the subject of a picture is merely an excuse for arranging forms and colours in such a way as to express the inmost self of the artist." —''Confessions'', p.585

===Mountaineer===
[[Image:Photo_k2.jpg|right|frame|The 1902 K2 party: Wesseley, Eckenstein, Guillarmod, Crowley, Pfannl, & Knowles]]
Crowley was an accomplished mountain climber is his time, and is still mentioned in mountaineering literature (although silly rumors and his reputation in the yellow press are often mentioned). He owed his ability to [[Oscar Eckenstein]], who was not only a highly skilled climber, but also had a great interest in Eastern philosophy (which had a distinct influence on Crowley).

Crowley made some significant climbs, including a 1902 attempt on Chogo Ri (or K2), the second tallest peak in the world. On that climb, the expedition achieved a record: "the greatest number of days spent on a glacier—65 days on the Baltoro" (''Equinox of the Gods'' Ch.1). He also had the record for "the greatest pace uphill over 16,000 feet—4,000 feet in 1 hour 23 minutes on Iztaccihuatl in 1900" (''Ibid'').

Crowley is also known for his 1905 attempt (and failure) on Kanchenjunga in the Himalayas—a peak that would not be successfully ascended until 1955. On the upward climb, a porter fell to his death in the process of leaving the expedition. More porters accused Crowley of beating them, and a general mutiny began among them and the other core climbers (namely Guillarmod and de Righi), based on Crowley's route (which was later vouched as a good one in 1954), his supposed ill-treatment of the porters, and the bad feelings between him and several of the climbers. Guillarmod took charge, leading the bulk of the men back down. On that descent, a porter's stumble triggered an avalanche that buried four men under ten feet of snow. It took three days of digging to recover their bodies. Crowley, remaining in the higher camp, did not respond to the cries for help when the avalanche began, a fact which later demonized him in mountaineering circles.

===Chess enthusiast===

Crowley learned to play chess at the age of six and first competed on the Eastbourne College chess team (where he was taking classes in 1892). He showed immediate competence, besting the adult champion in town and even editing [http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/modules.php?op=modload&name=Downloads&file=index&req=viewdownload&cid=3 a chess column for the local newspaper], the ''Eastbourne Gazette'' (Sutin, p.33), which he often used to criticize the Eastbourne team. He later joined the university chess club at Cambridge, where he beat the president in his freshman year and practiced two hours a day towards becoming a champion—"My one serious worldly ambition had been to become the champion of the world at chess" (''Confessions,'' p.193).

However, he gave up his chess aspirations in 1897 when attending a chess conference in Berlin:

::But I had hardly entered the room where the masters were playing when I was seized with what may justly be described as a mystical experience. I seemed to be looking on at the tournament from outside myself. I saw the masters—one, shabby, snuffy and blear-eyed; another, in badly fitting would-be respectable shoddy; a third, a mere parody of humanity, and so on for the rest. These were the people to whose ranks I was seeking admission. "There, but for the grace of God, goes Aleister Crowley," I exclaimed to myself with disgust, and there and then I registered a vow never to play another serious game of chess. I perceived with praeternatural lucidity that I had not alighted on this planet with the object of playing chess. (''Confessions,'' Ch.16).

==A counter culture icon==

==Name change, magical mottos, and pseudonyms==

===Name change===

Crowley was born Edward Alexander Crowley, and was nicknamed "Aleck" by his mother. In ''Confessions'' (p.139-140), he explains his adoption of "Aleister":

::For many years I had loathed being called Alick, partly because of the unpleasant sound and sight of the word, partly because it was the name by which my mother called me. Edward did not seem to suit me and the diminutives Ted or Ned were even less appropriate. Alexander was too long and Sandy suggested tow hair and freckles. I had read in some book or other that the most favourable name for becoming famous was one consisting of a dactyl followed by a spondee, as at the end of a hexameter: like "Jeremy Taylor". Aleister Crowley fulfilled these conditions and Aleister is the Gaelic form of Alexander. To adopt it would satisfy my romantic ideals. The atrocious spelling A-L-E-I-S-T-E-R was suggested as the correct form by Cousin Gregor, who ought to have known better. In any case, A-L-A-I-S-D-A-I-R makes a very bad dactyl. For these reasons I saddled myself with my present nom-de-guerre—I can't say that I feel sure that I facilitated the process of becoming famous. I should doubtless have done so, whatever name I had chosen.

===Magical mottos===

*'''Perdurabo''' ("I will endure til the end")—Neophyte
*'''[[Parzival]]''' —Adeptus Minor
*'''Ol Sonuf Vaoresaji''' ("I reign over ye")—Adeptus Major
*'''Ou Mh''' (O.M.—" No, definitely no! or Not Yet!")—Adeptus Exemptus
*'''Vi Veri Vniversum Vivus Vici''' (V.V.V.V.V.—"By the force of truth, I, while living, have conquered the Universe")—Magister Templi
*'''To Mega Therion''' ("The Great Beast")—Magus
*'''[[Baphomet]]''' as the X° in [[Ordo Templi Orientis|O.T.O.]]
*'''[[The Beast]] [[666]]'''
*'''[[Ankh-af-na-khonsu|Ankh-af-na-Khonsu]]'''
* '''Khaled Khan'''

=== Pseudonyms and aliases===

This is but a short list of his dozens of aliases he used for many magazine and newspaper articles:

<table><tr><td style="margin-right:10px;" valign=top>
*Abhavananda
*Herr Hermann Rudolph Von Alastor
*Ananda Vigga
*Gerard Aumont
*Francis Bendick
*George Archibald Bishop
*Reverend P. D. Carey
*Elaine Carr
*H. D. Carr
*Christeos Luciftias
*Cor Scorpionis
*Alex C. Crowley
*Alys Cusack
*O Dhammaloyu
*Fra. H. I. Edinburgh
*Michael Fairfax
*Comte De Fenix
*Percy Flage
*James Grahame
</td><td style="margin-right:10px;" valign=top>
*Arthur Grimble
*Cyril Gustance
*Oliver Haddo
*C. S. Hiller
*Lemuel S. Innocent
*Dost Achiha Khan
*Lavinia King
*Ko Hsuan
*Ko Yuen
*St. Maurice E. Kulm
*Maria Lavroff
*Lord Boleskine
*Major Lutiy
*Mahatma Guru Sri Paramahansa Shivaji
*Mahatma Sri Paramananda Guru Swamiji
*S. J. Mills
*Martial Nay
*Percy W. Newlands
*Hilda Norfolk
</td><td valign=top>
*Sheamus O'Brien
*G.H.S. Pinsent
*Katharine S. Prichard
*George Raffalovich
*Ethel Ramsay
*Barbey De Rochechouart
*John Roberts
*Mary Smith
*Edward Storer
*Count Vladimir Svareff
*Ta Dhuibh
*Alice Wesley Torr
*J. Turner
*Rev. C. Verey
*Leo Vincey
*Mark Wells
*Thomas Wentworth
</td></tr></table>

==See also==
*[[Thelema]]
*[[Works of Aleister Crowley]]
*[[The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn]]
*[[Ordo Templi Orientis]]
*[[A.'.A.'.]]
*[[Magick]]
*[[The Gnostic Mass]]

==External links==
*[http://www.abrasax.net/timeline.htm A Crowley Timeline]
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke Contemporary media accounts and photographic portraits]
*[http://www.93current.de/crowley.shtml The 93 Current]—many links for Crowley resources
*[http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/research/fa/crowley.aleister.html The Aleister Crowley Collection] at the Harry Ransom Center, U.T., in Austin, TX
*[http://www.redflame93.com/DeskReference.html Red Flame Desk Reference]—A complete catalog of Crowley's published works

==References==
*O.T.O. (2005). ''[http://oto-usa.org/crowley.html Aleister Crowley]''
*Red Flame. (2005). [http://www.redflame93.com/DeskReference.html Aleister Crowley Desk Reference]
*Sutin, Lawrence. (2002). ''Do What Thou Wilt : A Life of Aleister Crowley.'' New York : St. Martin's Griffin.
*Crowley, Aleister. (1974). ''Equinox of the Gods.'' New York, NY : Gordon Press.
*____. (1979). The Confessions of Aleister Crowley. London;Boston : Routledge & Kegan Pa
*Hymenaeus Beta. (1998). "Good Show". ''The Magical Link.'' New Series #2, Spring-Fall 1998.
[[Category:Aleister Crowley]] [[Category:Thelema]] [[Category:Past Masters]] [[Category:A.'.A.'.]] [[Category:Golden Dawn]] [[Category:Ordo Templi Orientis]] [[Category:The Gnostic Saints]]

Boleskine House

2005-04-10T10:52:19Z

Lashtal: /* Links of Interest */

[[Image:Boleskine5.jpg|right|frame|Boleskine House, Loch Ness, Scotland / © 2004 LAShTAL.COM/Doug Brown]]
'''Boleskine House''' (''boll-ESS-kin'') was the estate of [[Aleister Crowley]] from 1899 to 1913. It is located on the South-Eastern shore of Loch Ness in Scotland. It was built in the late 18th century by Archibald Fraser.

Crowley purchased the home in order to perform the operation found in ''The Book of the Sacred Magick of Abra-Melin the Mage'' (see [[Abramelin Operation]]). In order to perform it, Crowley (1989) says,
:''One must have a house where proper precautions against disturbance can be taken; this being arranged, there is really nothing to do but to aspire with increasing fervour and concentration, for six months, towards the obtaining of the Knowledge and Conversation of the [[Holy Guardian Angel]].''

In ''Confessions'' (Ch. 22), he continues:
:''The first essential is a house in a more or less secluded situation. There should be a door opening to the north from the room of which you make your oratory. Outside this door, you construct a terrace covered with fine river sand. This ends in a "lodge" where the spirits may congregate.''

Crowley eventually sold the manor in order to fund the publication of [[The Equinox]], Vol. III. However, he later alleged that the funds were stolen by the Grand Treasurer General of the [[Ordo Templi Orientis|Order]], George MacNie Cowie. (The extensive mortgaging of the house by that time may in fact have left little funds to steal.)

For a short time in the 1970s, Boleskine was owned by famed Led Zepplin guitarist, Jimmy Page.

==The Kiblah of Thelema==

Aleister Crowley considered Boleskine to be the [[Thelema|Thelemic]] [[Kiblah]], the holiest of shrines. It is is mentioned by name in several rituals written by Crowley, and is identitied with the East. It is considered to be the focal point of the [[magick|magical]] energies (also called the [[93 Current]]) of the [[Aeon of Horus]], similar to Jerusalem of [[Christianity]] and [[Mecca]] of [[Islam]].

Specifically the [[Gnostic Mass]] (described in [http://www.scarletwoman.org/docs/docs_mass.html Liber XV]) and the Ritual of the Mark of the Beast (in [http://hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib5.html Liber V]) both identify the principal orientation (sometimes known as "Magical East") as being towards Boleskine.

As Sabalius (1998) notes:
:''Thus, the location of Boleskine House is to be the Omphalos or Center of Power for Thelema, and is to continue as such for the duration of the Aeon of Horus, regardless of the physical presence of the Stèle or of the house itself. Thus, O.T.O. Lodges, Profess-Houses and Gnostic Mass Temples are ideally to be oriented towards Boleskine.''

==The house==

Boleskin House is located on the South-Eastern shore of Loch Ness in Scotland at latitude 57.14 N., longitude 4.28 W.

Crowley describes Boleskine in ''Confessions'':
:''The house is a long low building. I set apart the south-western half for my work. The largest room has a bow window and here I made my door and constructed the terrace and lodge. In side the room I set up my oratory proper. This was a wooden structure, lined in part with the big mirrors which I brought from London.''

The home includes the entrance hall, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a drawing room, dining room, family room, kitchen, utility room, and the cellars. The grounds (about 47 acres) includes the Gate Lodge, which was originally the home for a coachman. It has a living room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom, as well as a pond, small garden and an orchard.

==Links of Interest==
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=76 A Description of Boleskine House] at LAShTAL.COM
*[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/7069/bole-1.html Boleskine House] at G.M. Kelly's ''Castle of the Silver Star''
*[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kiblah.htm The Kiblah], by Sabazius X°
*[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kiblahcomp.htm Computing The Kiblah], instructions to determine the direction of Boleskine
*[http://www.aleistercrowleysociety.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=6 Boleskine Images]—more images
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=95 An Account of a Weekend at Boleskine House] at LAShTAL.COM

==References==

*Crowley, Aleister. (1979). ''The Confessions of Aleister Crowley.'' London;Boston : Routledge & Kegan Paul.
*____. (1997). ''Magick: Book 4.'' 2nd ed. York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*Sabazius. (1998). ''[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kiblah.htm The Kiblah].'' Retrieved on Sept. 30, 2004.
*LAShTAL.COM. (2004). ''[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=76 A Description of Boleskine House].'' Retrieved on Sept. 30, 2004.
[[Category:Thelema]][[Category:History]][[Category:Places & Things]]

Links

2005-03-10T07:51:44Z

Lashtal: /* Thelema */

Here are links to sites that our editors recommend. If you are not an editor (learn how to become one [[Thelemapedia:Tutorial_%28Account%29|here]]) and want a link to your site on this page, please [mailto:editor@thelemapedia.org email the managing editor] with your request. If you would like to link to this site, check out our page of [[Thelemapedia:Promotion|banners]].

'''See also:''' [[Thelemapedia:Promotion|Promoting Thelemapedia]]

==Thelema==

*[http://members.cox.net/thelema/ Thelema Home Page]—a very good intro to the world of Thelema
*[http://www.babalon.net/ Babalon.net]—dedicated to the Holy Whore
*[http://93current.de/ Current 93]—numerous links and resources
*[http://www.lashtal.com/ LAShTAL.COM]—home of Crowleyana.com and The Aleister Crowley Society

==Online Communities==

*[http://www.thelema.nu/ Thelema.nu]—a community for the new Aeon
*[http://www.boards.greaterthelema.org/ Greater Thelema Discourse]—exploration of Thelema as a Historical and Literary Concept
*[http://www.scarletwoman.org/lounge/ The Lounge]—discussion forum of Scarlet Woman Lodge
*[http://www.occultforums.com/ Occult Forums]—kinda what it sounds like

==Libraries==

*[http://www.hermetic.com/ Hermetic.com]—A fantastic site with tons of Thelemic documents
*[http://www.sacred-texts.com The Internet Sacred Text Archive]—Incredible archive of sacred texts, including those of Thelema
*[http://www.rahoorkhuit.net/ Ra-Hoor-Khuit Network]—another huge library of Thelemic material
*[http://www.sacred-magick.com/ Sacred Magick]—Highly informative and very beautiful
*[http://www.gnosis.org/library.html The Gnostic Society Library]
*[http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/nhl.html Nag Hammadi Library]
*[http://www.esotericarchives.com/ Twilit Grotto]—Archives of Western Esoterica
*[http://www.the-equinox.org/ The Equinox]
*[http://larabell.org/Hanuman/ The Ape of Thoth]—search engine of Thelemic Holy Books and other verse-based works by Crowley
*[http://www.scarletwoman.org/scarletletter/ The Scarlet Letter]—archive of the journal of Scarlet Woman Lodge
*[http://www.sekhetmaat.com/journal/ Lion & Serpent]—archive of the journal of Sekhet-Maat Lodge
*[http://www.sekhetmaat.com/library Sekhet-Maat Lodge Library]—Information about this body's library including the OTO & Yorke archives and selected Sloane manuscripts on microfilm, and over 350 books in circulation.

==Individual voices==

*[http://tim.maroney.org/ Archived materials of Tim Maroney]
*[http://www.LilyTears.com Brian Berge's LilyTears.com]
*[http://www.abrasax.net/ The Enlightenment of Fr. Abrasax]
*[http://www.hermetic.com/dionysos/main.htm The Exposed Adytum of Dionysos Thriambos]
*[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/main.html The Invisible Basilica of Sabazius]
*[http://lionserpent.com/ Homepage of Frater M.S.]
*[http://www.sexmagick.com/aisha/ Aisha Qadisha's Scorpio Rising]
*[http://www.ashami.com Eidolons of Ash]

==OTO==

*[http://oto-usa.org/ U.S. Grand Lodge, OTO]
*[http://oto-usa.org/history.html OTO History]
*[http://oto-usa.org/egc.html Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica]
*[http://oto-usa.org/faq.html OTO Frequently Asked Questions]
*[http://oto-usa.org/about_thelema.html About Thelema]

==Organizations and Orders==

*[http://www.thelemicknights.org/ Order of Thelemic Knights]—The first charitable chivalric knighthood to accept the Law of Thelema
*[http://corlucis.org/ Cor Lucis]—A Thelemic initiatory order based in Los Angeles
*[http://www.thelemicgoldendawn.org/ Thelemic Order of the Golden Dawn]
*[http://www.golden-dawn.com/ Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn]
*[http://www.thelema.net/ Hermetic Alchemical Order of the QBLH]
*[http://www.bota.org Builders of the Adytum]
*[http://www.amorc.org/ The Rosicrucian Order]—The Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC)
*[http://www.thelema.org/ College of Thelema]
*[http://www.outercol.org/ The A.'.A.'.]
*[http://horusoftwohorizons.com/ Horus of Two Horizons]—Thelemic fundraising Association of Central Texas
*[http://www.hoor.org/ H.O.O.R.]—The Holy Order Of Ra-Hoor-Khuit
*[http://geocities.com/theototo/ One True Official Thelemic Organization]—just go there, okay?

==Encyclopedias==

*[http://www.occultopedia.com/ Occultopedia]
*[http://sourceryforge.org SourceryForge]

==Other links of interest==

*[http://www.chaosmagic.com/ ChaosMagic.com]—insane
*[http://heavenshell.net HeavensHell.net]—goth, fetish, occult, cool
*[http://larabell.org/Hanuman/Hanuman.cgi?input=liber999 The Book of the Inlaws] -A parody of the Book of the Law
*[http://www.spiritandsky.com Spirit And Sky]—"The Definitive Spiritual Directory"

==Other traditions==
*[http://www.wicca-chat.com Wicca Chat]
*[http://www.magick.com.au/community/ Magick]—Tradition of Witchcraft online community
==Search Engines==
*[http://www.addpro.com Search Engine Submission & Optimization]
*[http://www.cbel.com/religious_studies/ Religious Studies on Cbel]
*[http://paraseek.com/ PARAseek]

Boleskine House

2005-03-10T07:50:43Z

Lashtal: /* References */

[[Image:Boleskine5.jpg|right|frame|Boleskine House, Loch Ness, Scotland / © 2004 LAShTAL.COM/Doug Brown]]
'''Boleskine House''' (''boll-ESS-kin'') was the estate of [[Aleister Crowley]] from 1899 to 1913. It is located on the South-Eastern shore of Loch Ness in Scotland. It was built in the late 18th century by Archibald Fraser.

Crowley purchased the home in order to perform the operation found in ''The Book of the Sacred Magick of Abra-Melin the Mage'' (see [[Abramelin Operation]]). In order to perform it, Crowley (1989) says,
:''One must have a house where proper precautions against disturbance can be taken; this being arranged, there is really nothing to do but to aspire with increasing fervour and concentration, for six months, towards the obtaining of the Knowledge and Conversation of the [[Holy Guardian Angel]].''

In ''Confessions'' (Ch. 22), he continues:
:''The first essential is a house in a more or less secluded situation. There should be a door opening to the north from the room of which you make your oratory. Outside this door, you construct a terrace covered with fine river sand. This ends in a "lodge" where the spirits may congregate.''

Crowley eventually sold the manor in order to fund the publication of [[The Equinox]], Vol. III. However, he later alleged that the funds were stolen by the Grand Treasurer General of the [[Ordo Templi Orientis|Order]], George MacNie Cowie. (The extensive mortgaging of the house by that time may in fact have left little funds to steal.)

For a short time in the 1970s, Boleskine was owned by famed Led Zepplin guitarist, Jimmy Page.

==The Kiblah of Thelema==

Aleister Crowley considered Boleskine to be the [[Thelema|Thelemic]] [[Kiblah]], the holiest of shrines. It is is mentioned by name in several rituals written by Crowley, and is identitied with the East. It is considered to be the focal point of the [[magick|magical]] energies (also called the [[93 Current]]) of the [[Aeon of Horus]], similar to Jerusalem of [[Christianity]] and [[Mecca]] of [[Islam]].

Specifically the [[Gnostic Mass]] (described in [http://www.scarletwoman.org/docs/docs_mass.html Liber XV]) and the Ritual of the Mark of the Beast (in [http://hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib5.html Liber V]) both identify the principal orientation (sometimes known as "Magical East") as being towards Boleskine.

As Sabalius (1998) notes:
:''Thus, the location of Boleskine House is to be the Omphalos or Center of Power for Thelema, and is to continue as such for the duration of the Aeon of Horus, regardless of the physical presence of the Stèle or of the house itself. Thus, O.T.O. Lodges, Profess-Houses and Gnostic Mass Temples are ideally to be oriented towards Boleskine.''

==The house==

Boleskin House is located on the South-Eastern shore of Loch Ness in Scotland at latitude 57.14 N., longitude 4.28 W.

Crowley describes Boleskine in ''Confessions'':
:''The house is a long low building. I set apart the south-western half for my work. The largest room has a bow window and here I made my door and constructed the terrace and lodge. In side the room I set up my oratory proper. This was a wooden structure, lined in part with the big mirrors which I brought from London.''

The home includes the entrance hall, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a drawing room, dining room, family room, kitchen, utility room, and the cellars. The grounds (about 47 acres) includes the Gate Lodge, which was originally the home for a coachman. It has a living room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom, as well as a pond, small garden and an orchard.

==Links of Interest==
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=76 A Description of Boleskine House] at LAShTAL.COM
*[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/7069/bole-1.html Boleskine House] at G.M. Kelly's ''Castle of the Silver Star''
*[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kiblah.htm The Kiblah], by Sabazius X°
*[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kiblahcomp.htm Computing The Kiblah], instructions to determine the direction of Boleskine
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=49 Boleskine Images: Burial Ground and Approach]—more images
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=95 An Account of a Weekend at Boleskine House] at LAShTAL.COM

==References==

*Crowley, Aleister. (1979). ''The Confessions of Aleister Crowley.'' London;Boston : Routledge & Kegan Paul.
*____. (1997). ''Magick: Book 4.'' 2nd ed. York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*Sabazius. (1998). ''[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kiblah.htm The Kiblah].'' Retrieved on Sept. 30, 2004.
*LAShTAL.COM. (2004). ''[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=76 A Description of Boleskine House].'' Retrieved on Sept. 30, 2004.
[[Category:Thelema]][[Category:History]][[Category:Places & Things]]

93

2005-02-26T18:21:06Z

Lashtal: /* Other correspondences to 93 */

{{numbers}}

As it is written in [[The Book of the Law]], the [[Law of Thelema]] is stated as "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law." It is further said, "Love is the law, love under will." The two primary terms in these statements are Will and Love, respectively. In the greek language, they are [[Thelema]] (Will) and [[Agapé]] (Love).

Using the Greek technique of [[isopsephy]], which applies a numerical value to letters, the letters of both of these words when added together equal '''93''':

* Thelema = Θελημα
** Θ (Theta) = 9 +
** ε (Epsilon) = 5 +
** λ (Lambda) = 30 +
** η (Eta) = 8 +
** μ (Mu) = 40 +
** α (Alpha) 1
** = 93

* Agapé = Αγαπη
** Α (Alpha) 1 +
** γ (Gamma) 3 +
** α (Alpha) 1 +
** π (Pi) 80 +
** η (Eta) 8
** = 93

The relevance of this technique is found in the art of correspondence. When two words have the same value, they are said to have a meaningful connection. In this case, it is considered significant that the two central concepts of Thelema—Will and Love—are of equal value, and therefore have a direct connection.

===Other correspondences to 93===
There are other words found in Thelemic literature that add up to 93 using either [[isopsephy]] or [[gematria]]. These include:
*[[Aiwaz]]—Dictated [[Liber Legis]] to [[Aleister Crowley]] in 1904
*[[LAShTAL]]
*[[FIAOF]]
*[[MGN]]—Compound letter replacing the M in AUM.
Other correspondences include:
*[[Melie]]—"The Ash", as in [[Yggdrasil]] the World Tree
*[[TzBA]]—"Will; star, host"

=="93" as Salutation==
It is common for Thelemites to greet each other with "93" in person as well as in the opening and closing of written correspondence. This custom derives from Aleister Crowley's guideline that Thelemites should greet each other with the Law. Since saying the entire Law can be cumbersome, using 93 has become a kind of shorthand.

==References==
*Crowley, Aleister. (1997). ''Magick: Book Four.'' Edited, annotated, and introduced by Hymenaeus Beta. York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.

[[Category:Numbers]]

Boleskine House

2005-02-26T10:11:48Z

Lashtal: /* Links of Interest */

[[Image:Boleskine5.jpg|right|frame|Boleskine House, Loch Ness, Scotland / © 2004 LAShTAL.COM/Doug Brown]]
'''Boleskine House''' (''boll-ESS-kin'') was the estate of [[Aleister Crowley]] from 1899 to 1913. It is located on the South-Eastern shore of Loch Ness in Scotland. It was built in the late 18th century by Archibald Fraser.

Crowley purchased the home in order to perform the operation found in ''The Book of the Sacred Magick of Abra-Melin the Mage'' (see [[Abramelin Operation]]). In order to perform it, Crowley (1989) says,
:''One must have a house where proper precautions against disturbance can be taken; this being arranged, there is really nothing to do but to aspire with increasing fervour and concentration, for six months, towards the obtaining of the Knowledge and Conversation of the [[Holy Guardian Angel]].''

In ''Confessions'' (Ch. 22), he continues:
:''The first essential is a house in a more or less secluded situation. There should be a door opening to the north from the room of which you make your oratory. Outside this door, you construct a terrace covered with fine river sand. This ends in a "lodge" where the spirits may congregate.''

Crowley eventually sold the manor in order to fund the publication of [[The Equinox]], Vol. III. However, he later alleged that the funds were stolen by the Grand Treasurer General of the [[Ordo Templi Orientis|Order]], George MacNie Cowie. (The extensive mortgaging of the house by that time may in fact have left little funds to steal.)

For a short time in the 1970s, Boleskine was owned by famed Led Zepplin guitarist, Jimmy Page.

==The Kiblah of Thelema==

Aleister Crowley considered Boleskine to be the [[Thelema|Thelemic]] [[Kiblah]], the holiest of shrines. It is is mentioned by name in several rituals written by Crowley, and is identitied with the East. It is considered to be the focal point of the [[magick|magical]] energies (also called the [[93 Current]]) of the [[Aeon of Horus]], similar to Jerusalem of [[Christianity]] and [[Mecca]] of [[Islam]].

Specifically the [[Gnostic Mass]] (described in [http://www.scarletwoman.org/docs/docs_mass.html Liber XV]) and the Ritual of the Mark of the Beast (in [http://hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib5.html Liber V]) both identify the principal orientation (sometimes known as "Magical East") as being towards Boleskine.

As Sabalius (1998) notes:
:''Thus, the location of Boleskine House is to be the Omphalos or Center of Power for Thelema, and is to continue as such for the duration of the Aeon of Horus, regardless of the physical presence of the Stèle or of the house itself. Thus, O.T.O. Lodges, Profess-Houses and Gnostic Mass Temples are ideally to be oriented towards Boleskine.''

==The house==

Boleskin House is located on the South-Eastern shore of Loch Ness in Scotland at latitude 57.14 N., longitude 4.28 W.

Crowley describes Boleskine in ''Confessions'':
:''The house is a long low building. I set apart the south-western half for my work. The largest room has a bow window and here I made my door and constructed the terrace and lodge. In side the room I set up my oratory proper. This was a wooden structure, lined in part with the big mirrors which I brought from London.''

The home includes the entrance hall, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a drawing room, dining room, family room, kitchen, utility room, and the cellars. The grounds (about 47 acres) includes the Gate Lodge, which was originally the home for a coachman. It has a living room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom, as well as a pond, small garden and an orchard.

==Links of Interest==
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=76 A Description of Boleskine House] at LAShTAL.COM
*[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/7069/bole-1.html Boleskine House] at G.M. Kelly's ''Castle of the Silver Star''
*[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kiblah.htm The Kiblah], by Sabazius X°
*[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kiblahcomp.htm Computing The Kiblah], instructions to determine the direction of Boleskine
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=49 Boleskine Images: Burial Ground and Approach]—more images
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=95 An Account of a Weekend at Boleskine House] at LAShTAL.COM

==References==

*Crowley, Aleister. (1979). ''The Confessions of Aleister Crowley.'' London;Boston : Routledge & Kegan Paul.
*____. (1997). ''Magick: Book 4.'' 2nd ed. York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*Sabazius. (1998). ''[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kiblah.htm The Kiblah].'' Retrieved on Sept. 30, 2004.
*Lashtal.com. (2004). ''[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=76 A Description of Boleskine House].'' Retrieved on Sept. 30, 2004.
[[Category:Thelema]][[Category:History]][[Category:Places & Things]]

Links

2005-02-23T00:21:34Z

Lashtal: /* Thelema */

Links

2005-02-23T00:19:14Z

Lashtal: /* Thelema */

Abbey of Thelema

2005-01-23T13:24:51Z

Lashtal: /* References */

{{Partial}}

The first mention of the '''Abbey of Thelema''' was in Gargantua and Pantagruel written by [[Francois Rabelais]] in 1532. [[Aleister Crowley]] founded his Abbey of Thelema in 1920 in Cefalu, Sicily as an experiment in spiritual monasticism in part to prove that The [[Law of Thelema]] when applied to a group of people works.
[[Image:AC_abbey.jpg|right|frame|Crowley, Leah, and the kids at the Abbey]]
The students who studied under Crowley trained in [[magick]], [[yoga]], and self-analysis. They were encouraged to break free from society’s inhibitions in order to find their [[True_Will |true wills]].

After a student, [[Raoul Lovejoy]], died of enteric fever from drinking from a stream, the Italian and British press went on attack about the “evil Black Magican in Cefalu” in the end the ruckus the press raised forced Mussolini to expel Crowley from Italy ending the experiment at the abbey. Crowley later wrote

:''The explanation of why I left is quite simple and unsensational.... Several people who were my guests at the "abbey" made imaginative copy out of their visits. The the Fascists came into power and some foreign newspaper correspondents were asked to leave. And so was I. There was no rough turning-out. I was treated with the greatest courtsey.''

==References==

*Crowley, Aleister. (1979). ''The Confessions of Aleister Crowley.'' London;Boston : Routledge & Kegan Paul.
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=89 Crowley, Aleister. (July 2, 1933) "Black Magick is Not a Myth," ''Sunday Dispatch''.]
*Kaczynski, Richard. (2002). ''Perdurabo : the Life of Aleister Crowley.'' Tempe, AZ : New Falcon Publications.

==External links==

*[http://www.inventati.org/amprodias/thelema/paulos.htm Modern Photos of the Abbey]

Leah Hirsig

2005-01-23T13:22:15Z

Lashtal: Fixed typo

{{partial}}

'''Lea (Leah) Hirsig''' was born into a family of nine siblings on April 9th, 1883 in Switzerland. However, they moved to America when she was a child, and she grew up in New York. In 1919, after seeking out [[Aleister Crowley]] due to her interest in the [[occult]], she was consecrated as his [[Scarlet Woman]], taking the name Alostrael, “the womb (or grail) of God.”

[[Image:Leah.jpg|right]]She helped found the [[Abbey of Thelema]] with Crowley in Cefalù, Italy. Of her time there, Frater Hippokleides (2003) writes:

: At the Abbey, Hirsig was instrumental in guiding Crowley, the Prophet of the [[Aeon of Horus|New Aeon]], to a deeper understanding of the Law of [[Thelema]]. At a time of despair, Crowley wrote, “What really pulled me from the pit was the courage, wisdom, understanding and divine enlightenment of the Ape herself. Over and over again, she smote into my soul that I must understand the way of the gods… We must not look to the dead past, or gamble with the unformed future; we must live wholly in the present, wholly absorbed in the Great Work, 'unassuaged of purpose, delivered from the lust of result'. Only so could will be pure and perfect.” Hirsig's role as Crowley's initiatrix reached a pinnacle in the spring of 1921 when she presided over his attainment of the grade of [[Ipsissimus]], the only witness to the event.

Hersig spent much of her later years helping to promulgate the Law of Thelema and as a schoolteacher in America. She died in 1975 in Meiringen, Switzerland.

==External Links==
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=87 Leah Hirsig: Magical Record] The Magical Record of The Scarlet Woman Alostrael 31-666-31 Leah Hirsig From January 15, 1924 To December 27, 1924 e.v.

==References==

* Frater Hippokleides. (2003). ''[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/hirsig.htm Leah Hirsig]''.
*http://www.richard-kaczynski.com/errata.htm
*http://pages.sbcglobal.net/jmaxit/hirsig/pafg06.htm#133

[[Category:Scarlet Women]]

Abbey of Thelema

2005-01-22T23:28:04Z

Lashtal: /* References */

{{Partial}}

The first mention of the '''Abbey of Thelema''' was in Gargantua and Pantagruel written by [[Francois Rabelais]] in 1532. [[Aleister Crowley]] founded his Abbey of Thelema in 1920 in Cefalu, Sicily as an experiment in spiritual monasticism in part to prove that The [[Law of Thelema]] when applied to a group of people works.
[[Image:AC_abbey.jpg|right|frame|Crowley, Leah, and the kids at the Abbey]]
The students who studied under Crowley trained in [[magick]], [[yoga]], and self-analysis. They were encouraged to break free from society’s inhibitions in order to find their [[True_Will |true wills]].

After a student, [[Raoul Lovejoy]], died of enteric fever from drinking from a stream, the Italian and British press went on attack about the “evil Black Magican in Cefalu” in the end the ruckus the press raised forced Mussolini to expel Crowley from Italy ending the experiment at the abbey. Crowley later wrote

:''The explanation of why I left is quite simple and unsensational.... Several people who were my guests at the "abbey" made imaginative copy out of their visits. The the Fascists came into power and some foreign newspaper correspondents were asked to leave. And so was I. There was no rough turning-out. I was treated with the greatest courtsey.''

==References==

*Crowley, Aleister. (1979). ''The Confessions of Aleister Crowley.'' London;Boston : Routledge & Kegan Paul.
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=89]Crowley, Aleister. (July 2, 1933) "Black Magick is Not a Myth," ''Sunday Dispatch''.
*Kaczynski, Richard. (2002). ''Perdurabo : the Life of Aleister Crowley.'' Tempe, AZ : New Falcon Publications.

==External links==

*[http://www.inventati.org/amprodias/thelema/paulos.htm Modern Photos of the Abbey]

Aleister Crowley

2004-12-20T13:29:45Z

Lashtal: Just corrected a couple of spelling mistakes

{{partial}}

'''Aleister Crowley''' (1876-1947) — however one judges him — was a fascinating man who lived an amazing life. He is best known as being an infamous [[occult]]ist and the scribe of [[The Book of the Law]], which introduced [[Thelema]] to the world. Crowley was an influential member in several occult organizations, including the [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn|Golden Dawn]], the [[A.'.A.'.]], and [[Ordo Templi Orientis]]. He was a prolific writer and poet, a world traveller, mountaineer, chess master, artist, yogi, social provocateur, and sexual libertine. The press loved to demonize him and dubbed Crowley “The wickedest man in the world.”
[[Image:Crowley_portrait1b.jpg|right]]
==A brief summary of major events==

'''Edward Alexander Crowley''' was born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire on October 12, 1875. His parents were members of the [[Plymouth Brethren]], an extremely devout Christian sect. It was in this Christain childhood that he came to refer to himself as [[The Beast]] [[666]]. He was also fortunate to be heir to a small brewing fortune, which he largely used for travel and publishing his works over his lifetime.

He entered Trinity College at Cambridge in 1895, and left just before finishing his degree. He was initiated into the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in 1898. The next year he purchased [[Boleskine|Boleskine House]] at Loch Ness in order to perform the ritual known as the [[Abramelin|Abra-Melin Operation]].

In 1900 Crowley travels to Mexico where he is initiated as a 33° [[Freemasonry|Mason]].

In 1902 he begins the practice of [[yoga]] in Caylon with [[Allen Bennett]], an associate from the Golden Dawn. He returns to Boleskine in 1903 and marries [[Edith Rose Kelly]], the sister of the painter, Sir Gerald Kelly. On their honeymoon, they visit Cairo, Egypt in 1904. It is here that he comes to write [[The Book of the Law]] on April 8, 9, and 10.

In 1907 Crowley founds the Order he calls the [[A.'.A.'.]] Two years later, he diverces Rose and travels to the Sahara Desert with poet [[Victor Neuberg]], where they perform a series of rituals that results in the book ''[[The Vision and the Voice]]''.

In 1913 Crowley is initiated into Ordo Templi Orientis by [[Theodor Reuss]]. The following year Crowley is advanced to the X° and becomes head of O.T.O. in Great Brittain and Ireland. That same year, while on a trip to Moscow, he writes the [[Liber XV|Gnostic Mass]].

With the beginning of WWI, Crowley retires to America in 1914, where he begins editing the publication ''The International''. He returns to Europe in 1919. The next year he founds the [[Abbey of Thelema]] in Cefalú, Sicily—an experimental commune based on the principles of Thelema, and inspired by the works of [[Rabelais]]—and were expelled from Italy by Mussolini in 1923. During his time at Cefalú, in 1922, Crowley proclaims himself Outer Head of the Order of O.T.O.

In 1929 Crowley takes his second wife, [[Maria de Miramar]] — a native of Nicaragua — although she eventually succumbed to mental delusions and died in an institution three decades later.

By 1935, based on his lifelong self-publishing efforts, and a lost libel suit, Crowley had lost his personal fortune and settled into bankruptcy. For the next decade he kept himself afloat through publishing and occasional help from associates and students. His final years were characterized by poor health and heroin addiction alongside a continued zeal for promulgating Thelema. In 1945, he retired to ‘Netherwood’, a boarding house in Hastings, England. On December 1, 1947, at the age of 71 and with his son Ataturk by his bed, Aleister Crowley good-spiritedly and quietly celebrated his [[The Feast for Death|Greater Feast]]. His ashes were later buried next to a tree in Hampton, New Jersey on the property of [[Karl Germer]] (Crowley’s successor to OHO).

Crowley had five children in his life: Daughters Poupée (Feb. 1920 - April 1920), Astarte (b. 1920), Nuit (1904-1906), Lola Zaza (b.1906), and son Ataturk (b.1938).

==Occultism==

===Prophet of Thelema===
===Mystic & yogi===
===Golden Dawn, A:.A:. and O.T.O.===

==Artist==

===Painter===

==Author==
===Modern Classics Still in Print, distilled from the Equinox===
*Magick in Theory and Practice
*Eight Lectures on Yoga (or Yoga for yellowbellies, today it would be called Yoga for Dummies)
*Magick Without Tears
*Tao Teh Ching - a Thelemic Translation
*The Book of Wisdom and Folly or Liber Aleph
*The Book of Thoth

===Fiction===
Some critics regard AC fiction as unimpressive, others as more pure gold from a reliable genius.

*Moonchild
*The diary of a drug fiend
*Simon Iff (short stories)
*The Strategem and others (short stories)

===Literary Journalism===
#The Fatherland
#The English Review

==Other aspects==

===Mountaineer===
===Chess player===

===Poet===
#The Winged Beetle

==A counter culture icon==
==Magical Mottos and other names used by Crowley==

*Frater Perdurabo ("I will last through") - [[Neophyte]] - 18 Nov 1898.
*Ol Sonuf Vaoresaji ("I reign over ye") - [[Adeptus Major]] - April 1904.
*Oy Mh (" ")- [[Adeptus Exemptus]] - 1909.
*Vi Veri Vniversum Vivus Vici ("By the force of truth, I, while living, have conquered
the Universe") - [[Magister Templi]] - 3 Dec 1910
*[[To Mega Therion]] - [[Magus]] - Oct 12 1915

*Baphomet as the Xth Degree OTO OHO

*[[The Beast]] [[666]]

==Links of interest==

*[http://www.abrasax.net/timeline.htm A Crowley Timeline]
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke Contemporary media accounts and photographic portrats]

[[Category:Thelema]]
[[Category:Artists]]
[[Category:Magicians]]
[[Category:Mystics]]
[[Category:Occultists]]
[[Category:Past Masters]]
[[Category:Poets]]
[[Category:Prophets]]
[[Category:Thelemites]]
[[Category:Writers]]
[[Category:Yogis]]
[[Category:A.'.A.'.]]
[[Category:Golden Dawn]]
[[Category:Ordo Templi Orientis]]
[[Category:The Gnostic Saints]]