Each for himself

Friday, February 26th, 2010

Since it’s topical, another youtube video by “Frater Oz” entitled “In defence of the O.T.O.” contains an instance of another beginner’s mistake many Thelemites make that deserves correction. In the video, “Oz” says: Thelemites are a diverse group. Some do the work, some do not. Some simply live their lives as they see fit. Some […]

Because, because, because, because…!

Sunday, February 21st, 2010

We have touched on the much-abused “a curse upon Because” and “reason is a lie” phrases from the second chapter of The Book of the Law in a number of places, including The fallacy of “experiential knowledge” and Sun enters Cadent of Aquarius, but we’ve never given them a thorough treatment in one place, so […]

The vice of kings

Saturday, February 20th, 2010

The phrase “Compassion is the vice of kings” from AL II, 21 is another in a long line of passages from The Book of the Law which modern-day Thelemites regularly attempt to pervert to their own moral and ideological ends. In particular, comments such as “we are told to indulge our vices” from Gerald del […]

No other shall say nay

Thursday, December 20th, 2007

From private correspondence. The correspondent refers to my essay True Will, quotes AL I, 42-44, and asks “Why then, in so many circumstances, did so many people oppose Crowley or come into his way with an unfavourable outcome for him?” I presume you are referring to “no other shall say nay,” here. My essay The […]

KCHGA, and yet more on the Khabs and the Khu

Thursday, November 22nd, 2007

Original poster wrote (responding to a citation of this post): Interesting, although I’m sort of grasping at the concept. It gives me the idea that, since the true nature is clothed in self-awareness (er,that’s how it reads to me, I’ll happily be corrected if I’ve picked itup wrong), one may be able to develop another […]

True Will

Saturday, October 6th, 2007

(This essay is also available in printed form) Will is, clearly, the fundamental concept of Thelema. It is what the Greek word Θελημα literally means, and it figures in all three of the core statements of Thelemic conduct: Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. (AL I, 40) So with thy […]

The Method of Love

Sunday, September 30th, 2007

In his introduction to the Book of the Law, Crowley writes: Every event is a uniting of some one monad with one of the experiences possible to it. “Every man and every woman is a star,” that is, an aggregate of such experiences, constantly changing with each fresh event, which affects him or her either […]

Restriction – II

Sunday, September 23rd, 2007

Aum418:It is necessary that we stop, once for all, this ignorant meddling with other people’s business. Each individual must be left free to follow his own path…the original brand of American freedom — which really was Freedom — contained the precept to leave other people severely alone, and thus assured the possibility of expansion on […]

Restriction

Saturday, September 22nd, 2007

Aum418: Really, I should have said ‘The highest Sin in Thelema is to restrict Will’ (including self as well as others). This would indeed have been better, but I still don’t think it’s right. “The word of Sin is Restriction” indeed, but there is nothing herein that suggests that “restriction” means “to restrict the will […]

The Fall of Because

Saturday, September 22nd, 2007

Aum418: All this thinking about what Thelema IS might be considered the fall of Because. Depends what you mean by “thinking about”. These folks who ask “is such-and-such an act ‘Thelemic’?”, presumably with a view to providing an answer to the question “should I, as a Thelemite, therefore do and/or support such a thing?” are […]