Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowleywas an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, painter, novelist, and mountaineer. He founded the religion and philosophy of Thelema, identifying himself as the prophet entrusted with guiding humanity into the Æon of Horus in the early 20th century...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionReligious Leader
Date of Birth12 October 1875
names atheism force
The Gods are but names for the forces of Nature themselves.
mad religion atheism
If one were to take the bible seriously one would go mad. But to take the bible seriously, one must be already mad.
stars lying pyramids
Must not understanding lie open unto wisdom as the pyramids lie open to the stars? (6:2)
life-and-love book men
The Devil' is, historically, the God of any people that one personally dislikes... This serpent, SATAN, is not the enemy of Man, but He who made Gods of our race, knowing Good and Evil; He bade 'Know Thyself!' and taught Initiation. He is 'The Devil' of the Book of Thoth, and His emblem is BAPHOMET, the Androgyne who is the hieroglyph of arcane perfection... He is therefore Life, and Love.
quality chance nervous
My observation of the Universe convinces me that there are beings of intelligence and power of a far higher quality than anything we can conceive of as human; that they are not necessarily based on the cerebral and nervous structures that we know, and that the one and only chance for mankind to advance as a whole is for individuals to make contact with such beings.
hate people christ
I did not hate God or Christ, but merely the God and Christ of the people whom I hated.
men
The man who denounces life merely defines himself as the man who is unequal to it.
people ignorant path
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.
heart eye grieving
What the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over.
way mastery break
The Way of Mastery is to break all the rules—but you have to know them perfectly before you can do this; otherwise you are not in a position to transcend them.
love-is principles tolerable
Love is the only principle which makes life tolerable.
keys joy disobedience
The key of joy is disobedience.
ability absolutely act bear bring count definite destiny determination gods impossible inexorable moral perform physical pressure simplest
Destiny is an absolutely definite and inexorable ruler. Physical ability and moral determination count for nothing. It is impossible to perform the simplest act when the gods say ''no.'' I have no idea how they bring pressure to bear on such occasions; I only know that it is irresistible.
absence collection complete talents virtues wholly
In the absence of will-power the most complete collection of virtues and talents is wholly worthless.