The Equinox: The Review of Scientific Illuminism : the Official Organ of the O.T.O., Volume 3

Aleister Crowley, Hymenaeus Beta

Weiser Books, Jan 1, 1990 - Body, Mind & Spirit - 287 pages

Along with his written works, Aleister Crowley's legacy includes the organization he is credited with founding, the OTO or Ordo Templi Orientis -- The Order of Oriental Templars. This book contains key introductory material to this contemporary occult society, along with a history of the Order after Crowley's death. The format of this edition matches that of the first Equinox series published with Crowley as editor and includes magical instruction, communications to OTO members (all the dirt on court cases the OTO has been involved in), and original works of fiction and poetry. As part of this latter category, this book features an illustrated study of the works of underground filmmaker Kenneth Anger with a complete filmography. It could be argued that Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) anticipated the entire New Age phenomenon with his methods of teaching, codified in the tenets of the OTO. A rich melange of ritual magic, traditional spiritual practice, drug use, and sex, borrowing from many different cultures and traditions, informed the development of this lasting magical system. Although he's been popularized (and demonized) as The Beast, 666, his teachings have shown lasting value.

Contents

• HYMENAEUS BETA X IntroductionCulture vs Cult: 9
• THE MASTER THERION Book 1The Book of the Magus: 19
• AD VERITATEM IX An Introduction to the History of the O T O: 87
• HON CHARLES A LEGGE Grady McMurtry et al vs SOTO Findings: 101
• FRANZ HARTMANN IX Mysteria Mystica MaximaFirst Instruction: 113
• BAPHOMET XI Book 106Concerning Death: 119
• The Rights of Mankind: 144
• BATHURST IX Book 52Manifesto of the O T O: 153
• TRADITIONAL Monita: 160
• N Y C STUDY GROUP The Three Triads of the O T O: 179
• The Grades of the O T O: 192
• BAPHOMET XI System of the O T O: 199
• BAPHOMET XI Preface to the Revised Rituals: 209
• PARZIVAL X Horus Isis and Osiris in the QBL: 215
• ROBERT A HALLER Kenneth Anger: 239
• CHARLES STEIN from theforestforthetrees: 261
• This: 270
• GERRIT LANSING An Equinoctiall: 276
• IRA COHEN Silver Shoetrees in Hermes Closet: 285

About the author

Aleister Crowley was born Edward Alexander Crowley in Leamington Spa, England on October 12, 1875. His parents belonged to the Plymouth Brethren, a strict fundamentalist Christian sect, so he was raised with a thorough knowledge of the Bible. He attended Trinity College at Cambridge University, but left before completing his degree. He became a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, an occult society which taught magic, qabalah, alchemy, tarot, and astrology, in 1898, but the group disbanded in 1900. In 1903, he married Rose Kelly, who began entering trance states and sending him messages from Horus, an Egyptian god. These messages formed the first three chapters of The Book of the Law, which introduced Crowley's main concept of Thelema. He founded his own occult society. He was a prolific writer, who published works on a wide variety of topics. His works include The Book of Thoth, The Vision and the Voice, 777 and Other Qabalistic Writings, The Book of Lies, Little Essays Toward Truth, and The Confessions of Aleister Crowley. He also wrote fiction including plays, novels, and poems. His fictional works include Moonchild, Diary of a Drug Fiend, The Stratagem and Other Stories, White Stains, Clouds without Water, and Hymn to Pan. Three of his compositions, The Quest, The Neophyte, and The Rose and the Cross were included in the 1917 collection The Oxford Book of English Mystical Verse. He died on December 1, 1947 at the age of 72.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Equinox: The Review of Scientific Illuminism : the Official Organ of the O.T.O., Volume 3
• Authors: Aleister Crowley, Hymenaeus Beta
• Edition: revised
• Publisher: Weiser Books, 1990
• ISBN: 0877287198, 9780877287193
• Length: 287 pages
• Subjects: Body, Mind & Spirit / Magick Studies; Body, Mind & Spirit / Reference; Body, Mind & Spirit / Spiritualism