What is your favorite Aleister Crowley book & why?

Hi. I have for some reason always liked Aleister Crowley. He is the main inspiration behind a lot of the music I like, and I heard that he taught his students about reverse speech, something I am rather fluent in. Yes, I can hear reverse language. I have reversed several songs and found entire backwards songs, some of which were not previously discovered.

Anyway, my favorite book of his is called "The Book of Law" because I find it strange and interesting. What is your favorite book of his and why?
www.sacred-texts.com...


72. Strive ever to more! and if thou art truly mine -- and doubt it not, an if thou art ever joyous! -- death is the crown of all.

73. Ah! Ah! Death! Death! thou shalt long for death. Death is forbidden, o man, unto thee.

74. The length of thy longing shall be the strength of its glory. He that lives long & desires death much is ever the King among the Kings.

75. Aye! listen to the numbers & the words:

76. 4 6 3 8 A B K 2 4 A L G M O R 3 Y X 24 89 R P S T O V A L. What meaneth this, o prophet? Thou knowest not; nor shalt thou know ever. There cometh one to follow thee: he shall expound it. But remember, o chose none, to be me; to follow the love of Nu in the star-lit heaven; to look forth upon men, to tell them this glad word.

reply to post by thewheelturns


Well, my favorite is "Aleister Potter and the temple of fools". But seriously, the OTO is just a sex cult for the most part. There are the few among them who are genuinely interested in the occult. It seems to suit people with badly overgrown egos who are more then likely 'into' stuff like D&D.
edit to add: D&D isn't necessarily Dungeons and Dragons

[edit on 07/17/2009 by Mumbotron]

reply to post by thewheelturns


i read one of his papers about yoga. was really interesting until he ran out of stuff to say. i couldn't really finish it, he seemed to not have any problems babbling on about nothing. if he'd just stop when he's supposed to it woudl be better.

Originally posted by Mumbotron
reply to post by thewheelturns

 

Well, my favorite is "Aleister Potter and the temple of fools". But seriously, the OTO is just a sex cult for the most part. There are the few among them who are genuinely interested in the occult. It seems to suit people with badly overgrown egos who are more then likely 'into' stuff like D&D.

Ah I see..haha. It's not a subject I know a whole lot about, but I have heard a few stories here and there. I know that a great many of musicians have gotten a lot of their inspiration from Crowley. There are so many books by him, to read them all would take a really long time. I actively try to obliterate my ego from existing, but I do like D&D heh

Originally posted by IvanObanion
reply to post by thewheelturns

 

i read one of his papers about yoga. was really interesting until he ran out of stuff to say. i couldn't really finish it, he seemed to not have any problems babbling on about nothing. if he'd just stop when he's supposed to it woudl be better.

Ah yea. I never read those myself but heard of them. Any of what I did read that he wrote was kinda hard to follow.

His book 777 is a very good reference book. However it is not something to read. Just something to refer to. I use it often.

The Book of Law is an odd one. I keep it for a specific reason.

Otherwise, I don't give Crowley that much importance. I must admit though that he had a very practical approach to magic and this is the one thing I like about him. For example , he would always urge people to try and resolve something through normal means first. This in itself is an application of magic. Why use rituals and magic without first trying to make something happen by conversation and action.

reply to post by thewheelturns


For entertainment only, his best is his autobiography, published as "The Confessions of Aleister Crowley".

For his more serious work, I'd say either Liber Aleph or the Book of Thoth.

Actually, 777 is my favorite, because it is spot on in so many things that others have failed to correlate.

reply to post by CodyOutlaw


I use it a lot and the reason it is spot on is because it was written quickly.

I find that any work done quickly(work of art or writing) is far more powerful than something done over a long period of time.

I've tried to appreciate crowley but nothing I've read of his is coherent to me. I assume his system is at least vaguely self-consistant but to be honest there is so much else to read and so many other systems that seem more profound to me at least, so I'm not going to devote my time to the inner mechanisms of esoteric Crowlyism. I might enjoy reading his autobiographical stuff.

I think his life itself has significance, because he represents one of those periodic eruptions of Western esoterica...something that never really disappeared but has always had a kind of covert presence...the medieval alchemists, grimoire readers, neoplatonists, the court of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II in 17th-century Vienna, and so on.

Crowley's of the darker tint of that lineage I suppose. A real "character" in the old-timey sense. He also did a lot of traveling and adventuring (both inner and outer) and was a real pioneer of spaces the rest of the hip world wouldn't discover for another half-century.

[edit on 7/7/10 by silent thunder]

reply to post by thewheelturns

Aleister Crowley was an evil, evil man. Even owning the book is a bad thing, I would suggest selling it. You are being deceived. I'll tell you what I know.

Aleister Crowley didn't just invent all of his teachings, they come from sources far before his time.

Alot of his teachings come from the The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage. Authorship of the book is attributed to Rabbi Yaakov Moelin (Hebrew יעקב בן משה מולין; ca. 1365–1427), a German Jewish Talmudist. This identification has since been disputed. (1)

He also sacrificed children. "For the highest spiritual working one must choose that victim which contains the greatest and purest force; a male child of perfect innocence and high intelligence is the most satisfactory." (2)

They believed the spirit world was every bit as real as the world we inhabit. "Magical ceremonies work like computer programs repeating the names of spirits in particular orders, just like a computer language is actually a list of commands." Theses ancient rituals unlock the subconscious mind and open telepathic gateways to the spirit world, said Chris Everard." (historian/filmaker) (3)

Now, there is no proof anyone has contacted the spirit world, but I tell you this. It does EXIST, and the spirits your trying to contact will deceive you. Those teachings, books, ways of thinking, and thoughts bring bad energy. Bad spirits and bad energy will follow you. This goes beyond rational everyday thought. Your touching on subjects humans do not understand, and even the groups, societies, and aristocrats who actually practice these ceremonies are being fooled. You have to look toward the light, and cast Crowleys books, teachings, and ideas out of your thoughts and life. It is pure evil and if you chose that road, the light will abandon you, you will never see it.


1. www.themagickalreview.org...
2.Of the Bloody Sacrifice and Matters Cognate." Magick Book 4 Part III, Magick in Theory and Practice, Chapter 12. Samuel Weiser edition.
3. Alien Kabbalah 2, (Film) Release: Enigma T.V. April 4th, 2006 Quote: Chris Everard

Originally posted by CodyOutlaw
Actually, 777 is my favorite, because it is spot on in so many things that others have failed to correlate.

Crowley's 777 is a very handy resource. I didn't list it as a favorite because it is basically a reference text, and therefore doesn't have the charm of his prose and poetry. Nevertheless, it is very valuable for the practitioner.

Originally posted by therealnews
Aleister Crowley was an evil, evil man. Even owning the book is a bad thing, I would suggest selling it. You are being deceived. I'll tell you what I know.

Aleister Crowley didn't just invent all of his teachings, they come from sources far before his time.

Alot of his teachings come from the The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage. Authorship of the book is attributed to Rabbi Yaakov Moelin (Hebrew יעקב בן משה מולין; ca. 1365–1427), a German Jewish Talmudist. This identification has since been disputed. (1)

He also sacrificed children. "For the highest spiritual working one must choose that victim which contains the greatest and purest force; a male child of perfect innocence and high intelligence is the most satisfactory." (2)

They believed the spirit world was every bit as real as the world we inhabit. "Magical ceremonies work like computer programs repeating the names of spirits in particular orders, just like a computer language is actually a list of commands." Theses ancient rituals unlock the subconscious mind and open telepathic gateways to the spirit world, said Chris Everard." (historian/filmaker) (3)

Now, there is no proof anyone has contacted the spirit world, but I tell you this. It does EXIST, and the spirits your trying to contact will deceive you. Those teachings, books, ways of thinking, and thoughts bring bad energy. Bad spirits and bad energy will follow you. This goes beyond rational everyday thought. Your touching on subjects humans do not understand, and even the groups, societies, and aristocrats who actually practice these ceremonies are being fooled. You have to look toward the light, and cast Crowleys books, teachings, and ideas out of your thoughts and life. It is pure evil and if you chose that road, the light will abandon you, you will never see it.


1. www.themagickalreview.org...
2.Of the Bloody Sacrifice and Matters Cognate." Magick Book 4 Part III, Magick in Theory and Practice, Chapter 12. Samuel Weiser edition.
3. Alien Kabbalah 2, (Film) Release: Enigma T.V. April 4th, 2006 Quote: Chris Everard

You couldnt said it better. Cheers

[edit on 8-7-2010 by 3rdeye1983]

Originally posted by therealnews
Aleister Crowley was an evil, evil man. Even owning the book is a bad thing, I would suggest selling it. You are being deceived.

I agree, he was a sick man with sick ideas. "do what thou wilt" has corrupted this nation beyond most people's perception.

I would have to agree that 777 is his most usable book as it is simply tables of correspondences of subjects and their relation to the different sephira of the Qabalah. 777 is a good book because it comes in handy when reading other Qabalistic writtings by people that were contemporary with, if not in personal contact with, Crowley such as Mathers, Fortune, Waite etc.

I love all these people that have to condemn Crowley as a "sex cult leader" and some cheap theatrical Satanist, you make it clear that you know very little about that of which you speak.

Originally posted by Shadowflux

I love all these people that have to condemn Crowley as a "sex cult leader" and some cheap theatrical Satanist, you make it clear that you know very little about that of which you speak.

That is essential what he was. I wouldn't say he was "cheap theatrical" Satanist.. he was very powerful and influential Satanist. A twisted, morally corrupt man, and anyone who disagrees is clearly delusional.

reply to post by frozenspark


You do realize that Crowley adopted that law from the Hellfire club who in turn adopted it from St. Augustine who said:

Dilige, et quod vis fac

"Love, then do what thou wilt"

You simply don't understand what the law means, it doesn't mean that you can just go out and do whatever you want. Crowley believed in what he called one's "True Will", in a sense it is someone's divine purpose in this world. He believed that we all must follow this True Will to really achieve our purpose in life and gain complete satisfaction. He believed that when one discovers their true purpose one should persue it fervently with all their might.

Plus, that was only one law, another is:

"Love is the law, love under will"

Originally posted by frozenspark



That is essential what he was. I wouldn't say he was "cheap theatrical" Satanist.. he was very powerful and influential Satanist. A twisted, morally corrupt man, and anyone who disagrees is clearly delusional.

Well, you're just clearly misinformed as to the man, his practices and his beliefs. The problem with esoteric material is that if you don't "have ears to hear" then you're not getting the message.

Yes, so you define your own True Will. So if Hitler believed his True Will is to create a world of only Aryans, and exterminate everyone else, so be it! That is his true will.

“Lust, enjoy all things of sense and rapture. Fear not that any God shall deny thee for this.” - Crowley.