- Alister Crowley
by Wendell Sweet (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
| Aleister Crowley (1875–1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, and mountaineer who founded the religious philosophy of Thelema. He called himself “the Great Beast 666” and embraced a provocative public image that earned him the tabloid label “the wickedest man in the world.” Crowley was a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn before breaking away to develop his own system, heavily influenced by his 1904 Cairo experience where he said a spiritual entity named Aiwass dictated The Book of the Law. The central tenet of Thelema is “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Love is the law, love under will,” which Crowley interpreted as discovering and following one’s True Will. He wrote extensively on mysticism, yoga, and magic — which he spelled “magick” to distinguish it from stage illusion — including works like Magick in Theory and Practice and The Book of Thoth. His influence shows up all over 20th-century counterculture, from rock musicians to modern occult movements, even though he died in poverty and relative obscurity in Hastings, England. |
The rise of the horror genre provided a particularly fertile ground for Crowley’s influence to manifest. Films that explored themes of witchcraft, devil worship, and demonic possession often drew upon the popular imagery associated with figures like Crowley. While he may not have been explicitly named, the archetype of the charismatic, dangerous occultist, the master of dark arts, owes a significant debt to the media’s sensationalized portrayal of Crowley.
#religion #Psychic #history #WendellSweet Psychic, Religion, history, Wendell Sweet
