What comes to mind at the words ‘wickedest man in the world?’ Is
it a chess player, mountain climber and painter? Well, those are
some of the much loved activities of the person who was labeled
that by the media of his day. Who is that man you might ask? It is
Aleister Crowley himself. If you have heard of him before, and no
doubt you have, you will know that he accomplished many things
in his life; some will say for the betterment of the world and others
will say that his actions were those of an evil madman. You decide.
it a chess player, mountain climber and painter? Well, those are
some of the much loved activities of the person who was labeled
that by the media of his day. Who is that man you might ask? It is
Aleister Crowley himself. If you have heard of him before, and no
doubt you have, you will know that he accomplished many things
in his life; some will say for the betterment of the world and others
will say that his actions were those of an evil madman. You decide.
On October 12, 1875 in Warwickshire, England; Aleister Crowley
was born. His parents were very strict Christians who were part of
a Puritan sect called the Plymouth Brethren. Because his father
was a preacher, he made Aleister study the bible each and every
day, but after his father’s death, he saw it as his chance to rebel
against the Christianity that had been forced on him. He began
living a life of sexual freedom, something that his
was born. His parents were very strict Christians who were part of
a Puritan sect called the Plymouth Brethren. Because his father
was a preacher, he made Aleister study the bible each and every
day, but after his father’s death, he saw it as his chance to rebel
against the Christianity that had been forced on him. He began
living a life of sexual freedom, something that his
When Aleister got older, he studied at Trinity College in Cambridge and began to devote his
time to his growing interest in the occult and to writing poetry. In 1898, he published his first
book of poetry called, ‘Aceldama, A Place to Bury Strangers In,’ and at the beginning of the
book Aleister had written:
time to his growing interest in the occult and to writing poetry. In 1898, he published his first
book of poetry called, ‘Aceldama, A Place to Bury Strangers In,’ and at the beginning of the
book Aleister had written:
parent’s sect had greatly looked down upon. His mother still continued to push her beliefs on
Aleister, even though she could see that he hated Christianity with a passion and it was
because of this, as well as his newfound lifestyle, that she began to call him ‘The Beast’ from
the book of Revelation in the Bible.
Aleister, even though she could see that he hated Christianity with a passion and it was
because of this, as well as his newfound lifestyle, that she began to call him ‘The Beast’ from
the book of Revelation in the Bible.
“God conquered-and now I only have one doubt left-which of the twain was God?”
Before this comment, Aleister had explained how both God and Satan had fought for his soul;
a struggle that many past and present would like to have known about and understand, but
now impossible to have the answers to. In the same year, Aleister joined an occult order called
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, but after there were problems in the inner circle so to
speak, he left and founded his own order which he titled Argentium Astrum or A.A. That was
not the last order that Aleister would join in his lifetime; in 1912, he joined the Ordo Templi
Orientis, which is often referred to as the O.T.O. He became head of the British section and
then claimed the name ‘Baphomet,’ as his own.
a struggle that many past and present would like to have known about and understand, but
now impossible to have the answers to. In the same year, Aleister joined an occult order called
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, but after there were problems in the inner circle so to
speak, he left and founded his own order which he titled Argentium Astrum or A.A. That was
not the last order that Aleister would join in his lifetime; in 1912, he joined the Ordo Templi
Orientis, which is often referred to as the O.T.O. He became head of the British section and
then claimed the name ‘Baphomet,’ as his own.
In the midst of all of this, Aleister married Rose Kelly in 1903 who he later divorced in 1909. In
the first year that they were together, she had a vision that revealed to her that the Egyptian
god Horus wanted contact with Aleister. He later established contact with an entity that
identified himself as Aiwass, a minister of Horus, and Aleister received from him what is now
known as the Book of the Law. This book has been instrumental in the lives of people and
organizations all over the world and became the main text of the religious philosophy called
Thelema; a Greek word meaning “will,” that Aleister established. The main tenets of its
teachings can be summed up in one saying from the book which is:
the first year that they were together, she had a vision that revealed to her that the Egyptian
god Horus wanted contact with Aleister. He later established contact with an entity that
identified himself as Aiwass, a minister of Horus, and Aleister received from him what is now
known as the Book of the Law. This book has been instrumental in the lives of people and
organizations all over the world and became the main text of the religious philosophy called
Thelema; a Greek word meaning “will,” that Aleister established. The main tenets of its
teachings can be summed up in one saying from the book which is:
“Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Love is the Law. Love under will.”
These words were not meant to be taken that one should be free to do everything they want
to; what it means is that one should do whatever one can to find themselves, manifest their
true will and be who they were meant to be. Aleister never stated that he was a Satanist, yet
this philosophy is basically what the Great Serpent in the Garden of Eden was telling us; that
one can in fact be an individual and exercise their own will, their own choices, and not just be
an ignorant slave. Now another very well known and important verse in the Book of the Law
that adds to this is:
to; what it means is that one should do whatever one can to find themselves, manifest their
true will and be who they were meant to be. Aleister never stated that he was a Satanist, yet
this philosophy is basically what the Great Serpent in the Garden of Eden was telling us; that
one can in fact be an individual and exercise their own will, their own choices, and not just be
an ignorant slave. Now another very well known and important verse in the Book of the Law
that adds to this is:
“Every man and every woman is a star.”
This statement, though very small in words, has great meaning. It tells us that each one of us
is important and that we all have the capabilities to shine our light onto the world and make a
difference and that we are unique; separate from any consciousness present in the universe.
is important and that we all have the capabilities to shine our light onto the world and make a
difference and that we are unique; separate from any consciousness present in the universe.
Aleister Crowley did a lot for the occult world that at that time
had not seen anything like what he brought to the table. He
was someone who had unique beliefs and practices that
shocked many, yet did a great thing for change. One of the
things he particularly affected was magic. He even went as
far as to change the spelling of the word by adding a ‘k’ at
the end, making it ‘magick;’ which he greatly preferred for
different reasons. He also defined the word giving it more
meaning. According to Crowley:
had not seen anything like what he brought to the table. He
was someone who had unique beliefs and practices that
shocked many, yet did a great thing for change. One of the
things he particularly affected was magic. He even went as
far as to change the spelling of the word by adding a ‘k’ at
the end, making it ‘magick;’ which he greatly preferred for
different reasons. He also defined the word giving it more
meaning. According to Crowley:
“Magick is the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in
conformity with one’s will.”
conformity with one’s will.”
Many people follow this definition today as it has stood through the test of time; as well as
Crowley’s magical writings and formulas.
Crowley’s magical writings and formulas.
Aleister not only wrote poetry, he wrote both fiction and non-fiction on many different topics
including philosophy, culture, Thelema, politics and of course the occult and magick. In his
fiction books he included occult truths which only those involved in the occult would notice; for
example, in his book ‘Moonchild’ that he wrote in 1929, the characters were actual people
involved in the occult that he knew, only their names had been changed. His novel ‘Diary of a
Drug Fiend’ written in 1922, was about his experiences with drug addiction, particularly heroin
and included many of his views regarding the Will and how to master it. Some of his non-fiction
books on Magick include ‘The Book of Lies’ (1913), ‘Magick in Theory and Practice’ (1929)
and ‘Magick without Tears’ that Aleister wrote in the middle 1940’s. It had been very hard for
Aleister to get his writings published because of his bad reputation, but years later his books
became extremely popular among many.
including philosophy, culture, Thelema, politics and of course the occult and magick. In his
fiction books he included occult truths which only those involved in the occult would notice; for
example, in his book ‘Moonchild’ that he wrote in 1929, the characters were actual people
involved in the occult that he knew, only their names had been changed. His novel ‘Diary of a
Drug Fiend’ written in 1922, was about his experiences with drug addiction, particularly heroin
and included many of his views regarding the Will and how to master it. Some of his non-fiction
books on Magick include ‘The Book of Lies’ (1913), ‘Magick in Theory and Practice’ (1929)
and ‘Magick without Tears’ that Aleister wrote in the middle 1940’s. It had been very hard for
Aleister to get his writings published because of his bad reputation, but years later his books
became extremely popular among many.
Decades after Aleister shook the world off its puritan axis, people still talk, write, learn from and
sing about him. The metal music genre is no exception. In 1980, Ozzy Osbourne included on
his album ‘Blizzard of Oz’ a song about Aleister titled ‘Mr. Crowley.’ The songs first lines go:
sing about him. The metal music genre is no exception. In 1980, Ozzy Osbourne included on
his album ‘Blizzard of Oz’ a song about Aleister titled ‘Mr. Crowley.’ The songs first lines go:
“Mr.Crowley, what went on in your head.
Oh, Mr. Crowley, did you talk to the dead.”
Oh, Mr. Crowley, did you talk to the dead.”
Jimmy Page, a member of the band Led Zeppelin is a collector of many of Aleister’s books and
he even bought his mansion called Boleskine located on the riverside at Loch Ness in
Scotland. At one time he stated:
he even bought his mansion called Boleskine located on the riverside at Loch Ness in
Scotland. At one time he stated:
“I think Aleister Crowley’s completely relevant to today. We’re all still seeking for truth-the
search goes on…Magic is very important if people can go through with it.”
search goes on…Magic is very important if people can go through with it.”
And this year, Aleister will be hitting the big screen as Bruce
Dickenson from the band Iron Maiden is producing a movie
about him.
Dickenson from the band Iron Maiden is producing a movie
about him.
On December 1, 1947, at seventy-two years of age, Aleister
Crowley died from a respiratory infection. At his funeral, many
of his writings were read aloud, including the poem he had
written titled ‘A Hymn to Pan.’ He was cremated and his ashes
were sent to the United States and were distributed among
some of his loyal followers.
Crowley died from a respiratory infection. At his funeral, many
of his writings were read aloud, including the poem he had
written titled ‘A Hymn to Pan.’ He was cremated and his ashes
were sent to the United States and were distributed among
some of his loyal followers.
In conclusion, it is evident that almost 60 years after his death;
Aleister Crowley is still making a difference in the world and still
making headlines. He was a man who lived his life the way HE
wanted and did not allow society or religion to dictate how he
lived. He was everything that people in his day abhorred, but
he was not afraid to be himself and if there is
Aleister Crowley is still making a difference in the world and still
making headlines. He was a man who lived his life the way HE
wanted and did not allow society or religion to dictate how he
lived. He was everything that people in his day abhorred, but
he was not afraid to be himself and if there is
anyone who made their true will manifest, it was Aleister. No doubt he practiced what he
preached. Many people back then and today say that he was a very evil man, yet there are a
few, including Euronymous from the black metal band Mayhem who believed that he was not.
While he was still alive, Euronymous said this about Aleister:
preached. Many people back then and today say that he was a very evil man, yet there are a
few, including Euronymous from the black metal band Mayhem who believed that he was not.
While he was still alive, Euronymous said this about Aleister:
“Aleister Crowley called himself ‘The world’s most evil person.’ But what the fuck did he do
which was so evil? NOTHING! Conclusion: Crowley was nice.”
which was so evil? NOTHING! Conclusion: Crowley was nice.”
This brings us back to the beginning of this article where you, the reader, are challenged to
make your own conclusions about ‘the wicked man in the world.’ Was he, or wasn’t he…?
make your own conclusions about ‘the wicked man in the world.’ Was he, or wasn’t he…?
“Thrill with the lissome lust of the light,
O man! My man!
Come careering out of the night
Of Pan! Io Pan!”
O man! My man!
Come careering out of the night
Of Pan! Io Pan!”
First verse of ‘A Hymn to Pan’
References:
Lords of Chaos written by Michael Moynihan and Didrik Soderlind
Take care,
Marie RavenSoul
Marie RavenSoul
| Aleister Crowley By: Marie RavenSoul |
