Thelema

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Categories: Thelema | Formulae | Religion

Thelema
Terms & Concepts
The Book of the Law
Numbers in Thelema
Aleister Crowley

Nuit | Hadit | Horus

Babalon | Chaos
Aiwass | Ankh-af-na-khonsu

Agape
Magick
True Will
93
Holy Guardian Angel
Stele of Revealing
Body of Light
Abrahadabra
Aeons
City of the Pyramids
Lust of Result
Night of Pan
Saying Will
The Great Work
Secret Chiefs
Holy Books of Thelema

Thelema, in Greek, means will.

Table of contents [hide]

1 A brief summary of Thelema

1.1 Different views of Thelema

2 Doctrines

2.1 Cosmology
2.2 Personalities found within Thelema

3 Ethics

3.1 Liber Oz
3.2 Duty

4 Practices
5 Antecedents of Thelema

5.1 Thelema in the Bible

5.2 Franois Rabelais

6 See also
7 External Links
8 References
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A brief summary of Thelema

Thelema is the name of the philosophical school and religious matrix established in 1904 with
the writing of Liber AL vel Legis (The Book of the Law) by Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) and
stands on the central axiom, the Law of Thelema. The Law is summed up in two phrases from
the Book:

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law (AL I:40) and

Love is the law, love under will (AL I:57).

The central goal of a Thelemite (as adherents refer to themselves) is to discover and perform his
or her True Will, which is generally defined as the innermost Nature or proper life course of the
individual. The techniques used to achieve this goal fall under the heading of Magick.

There are also strong political, ethical, aesthetic, and cultural aspects to Thelema. Although there
is no strict literal doctrine concerning these matters, Aleister Crowley wrote many articles and
essays regarding his ideas about the proper behavior of individual Thelemites and for an ideal
Thelemic society. These ideas have continued to develop into modern times. However, the
primary themes involve personal freedom, a recognition that men and women have an inherent
divine nature, and that Love is the basis of the Great Work.

See the article on Religion for an examination of the "religiosity" of Thelema.

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Different views of Thelema

Not all adherents of Thelema consider it a religion or subscribe to the philosophy of True Will as
outlined in Aleister Crowley's writings. Thelemites may or may not believe in the necessity of
Canon or Theology as outlined in this article. Many require nothing more than an acceptance of
the message of The Book of the Law as interpreted by the individual, each for him/herself.

See also: Arguments against Thelema being a religion

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Doctrines

This article is incomplete.

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The following is a list of various non-obligatory doctrines that are found in the Thelemic
literature. First among these is the doctrine which describes the "Holy Books" of Thelema, where
many of the other doctrines can be found.

Holy Books of Thelema

Thelemic Godforms

Holy Guardian Angel

Body of Light

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Cosmology

The Book of the Law establishes a model of reality that combines two elementary forces: the
infinite extension of space, which is personified by the Egyptian sky-goddess Nuit, and the
infinitely contracted point, personified by the Egyptian god Hadit. It is the interaction of these
two forces that results in manifested reality. Crowley often described this interaction in sexual
terms: "Nuit is the centripetal energy, infinitely elastic because it must fit over the hard thrust
directed against it; Hadit, the centrifugal, ever seeking to penetrate the unknown" (Magick
Without Tears, Ch.38). The union of these two opposites results in the new current of the present
Aeon, represented by Ra-Hoor-Khuit (lit. Horus of Two Horizons), also called the Crowned and
Conquering Child.
This cosmology is interpreted literally by some Thelemites, and by others it is seen as metaphor.
For others, it is a key or set of obscure instructions for practices leading to personal attainment or
other change of state. Crowley himself admitted that The Book of the Law had many elements
that were beyond his own comprehension.

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Personalities found within Thelema

The following list represents godforms or other significant personalities that have prominent
roles within the structure of Thelema (most are found in Liber AL), and especially the writings of
Aleister Crowley. How one interprets and interacts with these beings, if at all, is up to the
individual.

The three primary speakers from Liber AL

1. Nuit (Nu) is the speaker in Chapter I. She is the eternally-extended Egyptian goddess of
the night sky and the Queen of Space. Nuit is the complement of Hadit.

2. Hadit (Had) is presented in Chapter II. He is the winged disk, the infinitely contracted
point, and the source of Life. Hadit is the complement of Nuit.

3. Ra-Hoor-Khuit (Horus) speaks in Chapter III. He is the Hawk-Headed Lord of the

current Aeon, also called the Crowned and Conquering Child. (Ra is the Egyptian sun
god).

Other personalities:

AiwassThis is the being that dictated Liber Legis according to Aleister Crowleyhe
considered Aiwass to be his personal Holy Guardian Angel.

Heru-ra-ha (Heru is another name for Horus) a composite deity composed of Ra-
Hoor-Khuit and Hoor-par-kraat.

Hoor-par-kraat (also Heru-pa-kraath, and the Greek god Harpocrates)Identified as

Horus in his form as a young child. Egyptian statues represent him as a naked boy with
his finger on his mouth, a hieroglyph for "child" and the later notion of silence. He is
also known as the Babe in the Egg. He is representative of the silent self and an
individuals Holy Guardian Angel.

BabalonThe Scarlet Woman, the Great Whore, and the Mother of Abominations. She
is the Yoni, the archetypical Womb of all Life, the provider of material flesh to clothe our
manifested Spirit, Mother Earth, and the Great Sea. Her consort is:
 Chaosthe universal generative drive, unrestrained creative power, the primal
unformulated substance from which all manifested matter is made, the Fire of the Life
Force found in each of us.

The Beastupon whom the Scarlet Woman rideth, alternatively identified as Aleister
Crowley, the whole of Mankind, the Phallus (both masculine and feminine), and the
Vehicle of Life.

Ankh-af-na-khonsuan actual Priest who lived in Thebes during the late XXVth
dynasty of ancient Egypt, around 725 b.c.e. Aleister Crowley assumed the magical
identity of this Priest as the living Prophet of the Aeon of Horus, the deliverer of The
Book of the Law (Sabazius, 1998).

The Prince-Priest / The Prophet Aleister Crowley

The Prophet and his BrideAleister and Rose Crowley.

Asar and IsaAsar is Osiris, the adorant and Isa is the Muslim form of Jesus, the
sufferer and a prophet (though not a messiah).

Tahuti (the Greek Thoth)the god of knowledge, writing, language, music, the Moon,
magick, and occult wisdom.

Because "Now a curse upon Because and his kin!...Enough of Because! Be he damned
for a dog!" (AL II, 28-33).

Hrumachisthe Dawning Sun, another name of Horus.

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Ethics
Just as interpretation of Liber AL is a task left to the individual, so is the ethical system of
Thelema a matter of personal choice. That being said, there are some common themes within the
writings of Crowley and other Thelemic philosophers. Arguably the central Thelemic ethic is one
of individual liberty and the personal freedom to fulfill one's Will. Social restrictionsuch as
laws that make illegal certain sex acts between consenting adultsis generally seen in a negative
light by most Thelemites.

Two documents in particular help to define Thelemic ethics for most adherents: Oz and Duty.

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Liber Oz
Liber Oz establishes the rights of the individual. For each person, these include the right to: live
by one's own law; live in the way that one wills to do; work, play, and rest as one will; die when
and how one will; eat and drink what one will; live where one will; move about as one will;
think, speak, write, dress, love, paint, carve (etc.) as one will; and kill those who would thwart
these rights. The rights established in Oz are often considered to be complimented by the
obligations given in Duty.

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Duty

Duty is described as "A note on the chief rules of practical conduct to be observed by those who
accept the Law of Thelema." There are four sections:

1. Duty to Self: essentially describes the self as the center of the universe, with a call to
learn about one's inner nature. Further, every Thelemite is to develop every faculty in a
balanced way, establish one's autonomy, and to learn and do one's True Will.

2. Duty to Others: A Thelemite is called to eliminate the illusion of separateness between

oneself and all others, to fight when necessary, to avoid interfering with the Wills of
others, to enlighten others when needed, and to recognize the divine nature of all other
beings. Further, it is noble to relieve the suffering of others, but pity (seen as
condescending) should be avoided.

3. Duty to Mankind: Thelemites should try to establish the Law of Thelema as the sole
basis of conduct. Further, the laws of the land should have the aim of securing the
greatest liberty for all individuals. Crime is viewed from the point of view of violating
one's True Will ("Thus, murder restricts his right to live; robbery, his right to enjoy the
fruits of his labour; coining, his right to the guarantee of the state that he shall barter in
security; etc.").

4. Duty to All Other Beings and Things: Quite simply: "It is a violation of the Law of
Thelema to abuse the natural qualities of any animal or object by diverting it from its
proper function" and "The Law of Thelema is to be applied unflinchingly to decide every
question of conduct."

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Practices
Although there are communal ceremonies informed by Thelema, and organizations to support
them (of which Ordo Templi Orientis is the most visible and extensive), Thelemic "religious"
practice is a mainly individual affair. Crowley composed a few guidelines to the cardinal
observances and programs. In Liber Aleph he lists the following "Means prescribed in our Holy
Books" for constant observance:

Neglect never the fourfold Adoration of the Sun in his four Stations, for thereby
thou dost affirm thy Place in Nature and her Harmonies. (Liber Resh)

Neglect not the Performance of the Ritual of the Pentagram, and of the
Assumption of the Form of Hoor-pa-Kraat. (Liber O)

Neglect not the daily Miracle of the Mass, either by the Rite of the Gnostic
Catholic Church (Liber XV), or that of the Phoenix (Mass of the Phoenix).

Neglect not the Performance of the Mass of the Holy Ghost, as Nature Herself
prompteth thee.

Travel much also in the Empyrean in thy Body of Light, seeking ever Abodes
more fiery and lucid.

Finally, exercise the Eight Limbs of Yoga.

In Magick in Theory and Practice, there is a similar regimen with slightly different emphasis.
First he recommends yoga, with the method explained in "Part I" of Book Four. Then he lists
"the most important drill practices" of magick, as follows:

The fortification of the Body of Light by the constant use of rituals, or by the
assumption of God-forms, and by the right use of the Eucharist.

The purification and consecration and exaltation of that Body by the use of rituals
of invocation.

The education of that Body by experience. It must learn to travel on every plane;
to break down every obstacle which may confront it. This experience must be as
systematic and regular as possible; for it is of no use merely to travel to the
spheres of Jupiter and Venus, or even to explore the 30 Aethyrs, neglecting
unattractive meridians.

In addition to these programs, there are some other basic practices usually involved in Thelema.
The first of these is the magical record or diary. "Verily, it is better to fail in the magical
ceremony than to fail in writing down an accurate record of it." (Book Four) The second is the
recital of the formula of "Will" prior to the main meal of the day. This practice consists of a
simple set of statements (sometimes presented as a dialog with others) declaring that it is the
individual's will to eat and drink, in order to fortify his body, in order to accomplish the Great
Work. Variants on this recital exist for initiates in different circumstances (see Liber 185).

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Antecedents of Thelema
Although the modern Thelemic movement traces its origins to the work of Aleister Crowley, he
pointed to important antecedents to his use of the term, and other instances are apparent from
research. The word is of some consequence in the original Greek Christian scriptures. Crowley
also acknowledged Saint Augustine's "Love, and do what thou wilt" as a premonition of the Law
of Thelema. In the Renaissance, a character named "Thelemia" represents will or desire in the
Hypnerotomachia Poliphili of the Dominican monk Francesco Colonna. Colonna's work was, in
turn, a great influence on the Franciscan monk Francois Rabelais, whose Gargantua and
Pantagruel includes an "Abbey of Theleme" which Crowley embraced as a direct precursor to
modern Thelema.

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Thelema in the Bible

Thelema appears in the Holy Bible referring to divine will, human will, and even the will of the
Devil. One well-known example is from The Lords Prayer in Matthew 6:10, Your kingdom
come. Your will () be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Some other quotes from the
Bible are:

He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass
away unless I drink it, Your will be done. Matthew 26:42
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God,
even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the
flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable
and perfect. Romans 12:2
"Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You
created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created." Revelation
4:11
"and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been
held captive by him to do his will. 2 Timothy 2:26
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Franois Rabelais

The next well-known usage of the word was by Franois Rabelais, a Franciscan and later a
Benedictine monk of the 16th century. Eventually he left the monastery to study medicine, and
so moved to Lyons in 1532. It was there that he wrote Gargantua and Pantagruel, a connected
series of books. They tell the story of two giantsa father (Gargantua) and his son (Pantagruel)
and their adventureswritten in an amusing, extravagant, and satirical vein.
It is in the second book where Rabelais writes of the Abbey of Theleme, built by the giant
Gargantua. It pokes fun at the monastic institutions, since his abbey has a swimming pool, maid
service, and no clocks in sight.

One of the verses of the inscription on the gate to the Abbey of Theleme says:

Grace, honour, praise, delight,

Here sojourn day and night.
Sound bodies lined
With a good mind,
Do here pursue with might
Grace, honour, praise, delight.

But below the humor was a very real concept of utopia and the ideal society. Rabelais gives us a
description of how the Thelemites of the Abbey lived and the rules they lived by:

All their life was spent not in laws, statutes, or rules, but according to their own free will and
pleasure. They rose out of their beds when they thought good; they did eat, drink, labour, sleep,
when they had a mind to it and were disposed for it. None did awake them, none did offer to
constrain them to eat, drink, nor to do any other thing; for so had Gargantua established it. In all
their rule and strictest tie of their order there was but this one clause to be observed,

Do What Thou Wilt;

because men that are free, well-born, well-bred, and conversant in honest companies, have
naturally an instinct and spur that prompteth them unto virtuous actions, and withdraws them
from vice, which is called honour. Those same men, when by base subjection and constraint they
are brought under and kept down, turn aside from that noble disposition by which they formerly
were inclined to virtue, to shake off and break that bond of servitude wherein they are so
tyrannously enslaved; for it is agreeable with the nature of man to long after things forbidden and
to desire what is denied us.
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See also
The Book of the Law

Aleister Crowley

Svecchachara

Religion

Arguments for Thelema being a religion

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External Links
Rabelais: The First Thelemite

Gargantua and Pantagruel, by Rabelais

Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, by Francesco Colonna

Thelema 101, a good introduction to Thelema

Thelema Homepage

About Thelema, from O.T.O. U.S. Grand Lodge

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References
Crowley, Aleister. (1997). Magick Without Tears. Tempe: New Falcon Publications.

Sabazius (1998). The Kiblah. Retrieved June 9, 2004.

Thriambos, Dionysos. The Utility of the Bible to the Student of Thelema. Retrieved Sept.
17, 2004.

Weinberg, Florence M. (1972) The Wine and the Will: Rabelais's Bacchic Christianity.
Detroit: Wayne State University Press.

Wikipedia (2004). Gargantua and Pantagruel. Retrieved Sept. 17, 2004.