The religion known as Thelema was founded in 1904 by the English poet, mountaineer, and mystic Aleister Crowley (1875-1947), who is regarded as its prophet. Those who recognize the Law of Thelema, "Do what thou wilt," and its corollary, "Love is the Law, love under will," generally call themselves Thelemites.
According to Thelemic doctrine, the expression of Divine Law in the Æon of Horus is "Do what thou wilt". The Law of Thelema is not to be interpreted as a license to indulge every passing whim, but rather as the divine mandate to discover one's True Will, or true purpose in life, and to accomplish it, leaving others to do the same in their own unique ways. Though it has often been misinterpreted, "Do what thou wilt" actually implies a heavy responsibility, both to oneself and to others.
Thelema emphasizes individualism and the uniqueness of each person's Will. As a result, it is very difficult to make blanket statements about its nature or (still more so) the natures of its adherents. Even the label "religion" fits Thelema awkwardly in some contexts--some Thelemites adhere to its principles in a religious context, while others view it as a philosophy and a way of life. No matter how it is categorized, however, Thelema has much to do with the set of practices and symbols commonly called "Magick".
Many of our practices have been traditionally associated with what has generally been known as "occultism"; i.e., astrology, divination, numerology, yoga, tantric alchemy, and discourse with "angels" or "spirits." These are all taken by Thelemites as potentially effective means for obtaining spiritual insights into the nature of one's being and one's place in the universe; and for the fulfillment of such insights through harmonious, evolutionary works. In other words, we use magick to discover our individual Will, and to empower us to fulfill it.
Thelema considers any action which is not directed toward the discovery and accomplishment of the True Will to be "black magic". This includes acts of interference with any other individual's lawful exercise of their right to discover and accomplish their own True Will. Thelemic doctrine holds that the disharmony and imbalance created by such actions results in a compensatory, equilibrating response from the universe; a doctrine similar to that of the Eastern conception of "Karma". Thelema has no direct parallel to the Judaeo-Christian concept of the devil or Satan; however, a pseudo-personification of confusion, distraction, illusion and egotistical ignorance is referred to by the name "Choronzon". |
