BOOK REVIEW - The Heretic's Guide to Thelema
Michael Gleason
Š 2008 ISBN 978-1-905713-18-9 438 pages Paperback $22.99 (U.S.)
Thelema? Isn't that about the writings and magickal workings of Aleister
Crowley? Didn't he use drugs and sex magick? Wasn't he called "the evilest
man in the world"? What relevance can that have in today's society? Kind
of, yes, yes, and you'd be surprised. But that isn't all Thelema is.
Actually, I should say that it is not primarily what Thelema is, any more
than the writings of any prophet. All of the above statements and questions
are representative of the common perception of Thelema. And we all know how
accurate common perceptions are (cough, cough).
I am not a practicing Thelemite (or any form of Thelemite for that matter)
which makes me the target audience for this book since this a "101" book,
but with a difference. Most "beginner" books simply rehash what has been
written before (often dozens if not hundreds of times). This book is
designed to introduce the entire concept of Thelema and its associated
magick from a personal viewpoint.
Naturally, there are recaps of standard magickal fare - including certain
rituals and invocations - but in the first part of the book the emphasis is
on personal experience as opposed to theory. Perseverance is stressed since
the magickal world, unlike modern Western society, is based on the
long-term. There are no short cuts in this work.
The first two books in this three book compilation (New Aeon Magick and New
Aeon English Qaballah) have been previously published (1994 and 2001,
respectively), and they raised various controversies at the times of their
publication. The third book (Ethics of Thelema) has never before been
published and offers a look at the author's view of the relationship of
Thelema, as he understands and practices it, to the larger world.
Although I call this a "101" book, it is not for the casual dabbler. As
with any book devoted to magickal working as opposed to magickal theory it
is heavy on experiential goals, and requires some serious effort to put into
practice.
One of the primary purposes of this book, if not the primary purpose, is to
cause the reader to question everything. This makes it a difficult book for
the average reader. It is also dangerous to the status quo since it
encourages challenges to commonly accepted viewpoints.
This book (or, actually, theses books) is not about Thelema as a whole, but
rather about the author's personal understanding of it. As such, it is
intended to encourage contemplation leading to action. Contemplation is the
starting point; action is the journey; and self-knowledge is the
destination.
If you know nothing about Thelema, and want to, this book is for you. If
you are a practicing Thelemite, this book may shock you into re-examining
your thoughts. In either case, it is a worthwhile addition to your library.
333
>The Heretic's Guide to Thelema by Gerald del Campo
>Thelema? Isn't that about the writings and magickal workings of
>Aleister Crowley?
that's one interpretation, yes. another is that it pertains to the
volition of human beings and how this might be utilized to effect
desired outcomes, as through magic or ordinary enterprises.
>Didn't he use drugs and sex magick?
yes.
>Wasn't he called "the evilest man in the world"?
yes, by some media outlet. he wasn't important enough to be
put on the stage with the evilest men in the world. he just
utilized graphic religious imagery and scared the bejeezus
out of some Christians.
>What relevance can that have in today's society?
it needn't in a sense that it revolves around Crowley.
where it pertains to willpower and getting what you
want done during the course of your life, fulfilling
your wildest dreams and generally arcing nicely during
any type of career, it is completely relevant.
unforunately Crowley bogs down his will-based theories
in cloaks of cultism, failed magic, and misunderstood
mystical mumbo-jumbo.
>...All of the above statements and questions
>are representative of the common perception of Thelema.
and with good reason.
>And we all know how accurate common perceptions
>are (cough, cough).
sometimes they are spot on. in the case of much of the
above it is quite accurate, despite being imprecise
in its exposition. the fact that Crowley used 'drugs'
is important in understanding why his mind was addled
and his will was compromised. the people with whom he
was studying his ceremonial magical methods were
anti-drugs, especially where mixed with magical feats.
>...This book is designed to introduce the entire
>concept of Thelema and its associated magick
that's an extremely limited take on Thelema, but
any approach associated with Crowley will be so.
>from a personal viewpoint.
that would best start from the individual will and
proceed outward. it should incorporate all general
will-based theories about the cosmos, such as those
described by such philosophers as Schopenhauer and
Fichte and move on to helpful modern exponents in
the psychological and New Thought movements which
allowed for the development of will in a larger
sense. it should also feature prominently such
sections as on Rabelais and Walter Besant and
the Rabelais Club in reflection of him. it might
also point out such figures as Paschal Beverly
Randolph, and make mention of New Age concepts
of 'manifestation' (or 'creating your own
reality') in association with magic.
>Naturally, there are recaps of standard magickal
>fare - including certain rituals and invocations
that's mostly the unnecessary part unless you're
some kind of ceremonialist whacko like Crowley.
>- but in the first part of the book the emphasis is
>on personal experience as opposed to theory.
it would help if it dealt with personal components
and how they fit together, what types of discipline
serve to refine one's character to liberate one
from societal conditioning, and what level of
transgression or deconditioning is wholesome.
>Perseverance is stressed since the magickal world,
>unlike modern Western society, is based on the
>long-term. There are no short cuts in this work.
this is the story that they tell the marks, yes.
in fact most of the mages who are familiar with the
techniques trumpeted find such shortcuts and take
them with no qualms whatsoever.
>...third book (Ethics of Thelema) has never before
>been published and offers a look at the author's
>view of the relationship of Thelema, as he
>understands and practices it, to the larger world.
that is liable to be somewhat skewed. a good number
of Crowleyans or post-Crowleyans are all hung up on
their Master's religious cults and silly antics,
keen to justify his bigotry, and excuse his poor
attempts at poetry and fictional prose. following
after the Master in the 21st Century is liable to
be a queer encounter with orthodoxy gone wild and
the maturation of the Method of Religion as it has
thoroughly saturated some of the more interesting
attempts to initiate magically as have been known
within the Hermetic corpse.
>...primary purpose, is to cause the reader to
>question everything. ....
therefore designed for the Philosophus. it is helpful
to identify the precise career-phase of the mage in
evaluating text supposedly of use to them.
>...encourages challenges to commonly accepted
>viewpoints.
the author is edgy and likely trangressive.
>...intended to encourage contemplation leading
>to action.
the reviewer attempts to give the impression that
this text will be applicable for such action and
therefore that it is "not for the armchair mage".
>Contemplation is the starting point;
few can start there. most need to start with a
batch of rote actions so as to calm sufficiently
to reach the state of contemplation. what is
done during this latter state is not alwyas the
same. some deconditioning is engaged, some
re-integration is inspired, some philosophizing
is allowed. books tend to revolve around thinking.
where Thelema is concerned, the starting point is
acting out and transgression. it is refined in
discipline thereafter in cults of aesthetics
and legitimated desire.
>action is the journey;
a sensible enough connection. where Thelema is
concerned the journey takes the form of ordeals
and projects, doing and surviving the doing
intact sufficient to integrate the experience.
>and self-knowledge is the destination.
this is the usual Gnostik substitute. in the
case of Thelema the destination is achievement.
without achievement (whether that is Gnostic,
or some other preference on the part of the
apologist) there is no journey or arrival.
>If you know nothing about Thelema, and want to,
>this book is for you.
the notion of Thelema is like a package or pie
filled with Crowleyan goo and typically
steaming with hope of liberty and ecstasy.
books about Thelema tend to conscript and
simplify, constraining to historical notions
what Thelema is and identifying the Master
as somehow unique and espousing unusual
developmental theoretics, rather than seeing
him as one of a number engaging the same kind
of material during the beginning of the
20th Century.
>If you are a practicing Thelemite, this
>book may shock you into re-examining your thoughts.
the phrase 'practicing Thelemite' yields the
corruption of its composure. it identifies with
too much zealousness the programs of the Beast
and his prophetic tarbaby. it prepares you for
Will and Resh and the rest of the Chains of
Spirit, while leaving orbits and True Wills
for some superior Worthy of the Silver Star
to explain and further format your mind.
>In either case, it is a worthwhile addition
>to your library.
apparently no matter of what your library
consists. why did *you* like New Aeon Magick?
what did it do for you and how did you use it
to escape the author's presuppositions?
do as you please (for it is a far better thing i do....)
333
--
yronwode.com@nagasiva - Gospel of Satan! http://gospel-of-satan.com
Dumbledore: "Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but
why on earth should that mean that it is not real?" - J.K. Rowling.