Aleister Crowley - The Great Beast 666

Summary

Aleister Crowley, dubbed 'The Great Beast 666', was a controversial figure known for his claims as a magician, writer, and spy. Born to religious parents, he rebelled against his upbringing, embracing the occult and establishing his own philosophy, Thelema, which promoted personal freedom and self-fulfillment. His life was marked by scandal, from alleged connections to Jack the Ripper to creating a cult and practicing 'sex magic'. Despite his notoriety, Crowley's teachings influenced artists and musicians, leaving a lasting impact on counterculture.

Takeaways

• 🧙 Aleister Crowley was a multifaceted figure known as a magician, scholar, writer, and spy, with a controversial reputation as 'The Great Beast 666'.
• 👶 Born into a religious family, Crowley's early life was dominated by the strict teachings of The Plymouth Brethren, which he later rejected.
• 🏔 His health issues as a child led to a significant lifestyle change, including indulging in activities previously considered sinful, which contributed to his recovery.
• 🔮 Crowley's exploration into the occult began with the Order of the Golden Dawn, where he quickly advanced but also stirred controversy due to his radical ideas.
• 📜 He claimed to have received a divine revelation from Aiwass, resulting in 'The Book of the Law,' which became the cornerstone of his philosophy.
• 🏠 Crowley's personal life was tumultuous, marked by failed relationships and the establishment of his own cult, Thelema.
• 🏔️ His adventurous spirit led him to mountaineering expeditions, one of which ended in tragedy and further tarnished his reputation.
• 🌍 Crowley's influence extended beyond Europe, as he attempted to spread Thelema in the United States, impacting figures like Jack Parsons and L. Ron Hubbard.
• 🚫 His extreme lifestyle, including drug use and 'sex magic,' led to health issues and financial ruin, forcing him into a period of seclusion.
• 💉 Despite his notoriety, Crowley experienced a late-life redemption, finding happiness with Deirdre MacLellan and their son.
• ⚰️ His death in 1947 was overshadowed by his controversial life, with a small funeral and posthumous rumors of his demise.

Q & A

Who was Aleister Crowley known as and why?

Aleister Crowley was known as 'The Great Beast 666' due to some beliefs that he was the AntiChrist as told in the Book of Revelation.

What was Aleister Crowley's early life like, and how did it shape his views on religion?

Aleister Crowley was born to extremely religious parents and was raised in the strict teachings of The Plymouth Brethren, which he later rejected during his teenage rebellion, leading him to oppose their religious doctrines.

How did Aleister Crowley's health issues as a child influence his life?

Crowley's health issues led his uncle to introduce him to a more liberal lifestyle, including physical activities and experiences that were previously forbidden, which contributed to his recovery and his rejection of his strict upbringing.

What significant event occurred during Aleister Crowley's time at Cambridge University?

At Cambridge, Crowley fell in love with a fellow classmate, Herbert Jerome Pollitt, who had an alter ego as 'Diane de Rougy', and this love, along with his bisexuality, further motivated him to reject Christianity.

What was Aleister Crowley's involvement with the Order of the Golden Dawn?

Crowley joined the Order of the Golden Dawn, an organization of aspiring wizards, where he quickly moved through the lessons and eventually became involved in more radical practices, leading to distrust among some members.

What is the significance of the ' Abramelin Ceremony' that Aleister Crowley attempted?

The Abramelin Ceremony was a spell Crowley performed at Boleskine House with the intention of summoning angels, but it was rumored that his failure to complete it unlocked the gates of Hell.

What revelation did Aleister Crowley receive from his guardian angel, Aiwass?

Aleister Crowley received the revelation that 'Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law' from his guardian angel, Aiwass, which became a central tenet of his philosophy.

How did Aleister Crowley's personal relationships, such as with his first wife Rose, influence his beliefs and practices?

Rose Edith Kelly, Crowley's first wife, had visions during their time in Egypt that influenced Crowley's beliefs, leading to the creation of The Book of the Law, but their marriage eventually fell apart due to personal issues and the death of their first daughter.

What was the nature of Aleister Crowley's cult, Thelema, and how did it differ from his previous affiliations?

Thelema, Crowley's own cult, promoted the idea of doing whatever one wanted, with practices including drug use, orgies, and rituals that were more intense and controversial than those of the Order of the Golden Dawn.

How did Aleister Crowley's later life and relationships evolve, and what did he learn from these experiences?

In his later life, Crowley experienced drug addiction and financial struggles, but found a second chance at life with Deirdre MacLellan, who helped him recover and start a family, leading him to realize that true happiness came from family, not selfishness.

What is the legacy of Aleister Crowley, and how has it influenced popular culture?

Aleister Crowley's life and teachings have inspired artists, musicians, and the 'free love' movement, with his motto 'Do What Thou Wilt' appearing on albums by Led Zeppelin and his influence being recognized by figures like David Bowie and John Lennon.

Outlines

00:00

🔮 The Enigmatic Life of Aleister Crowley

This paragraph delves into the life of Aleister Crowley, a man of many titles including magician, scholar, writer, and spy. Known as 'The Great Beast 666,' Crowley's life was steeped in controversy, with some viewing him as a genius visionary while others considered him a figure of evil. Born to religious parents, he was initially raised with strict fundamentalist beliefs, but a rebellious transformation led him to reject these teachings and embrace a life of excess and exploration of the occult. His early life was marked by illness, a strict upbringing, and a dramatic recovery that set the stage for his later pursuits.

05:04

🃏 The Occult Initiation and Deception

Aleister Crowley's journey into the world of the occult began with his involvement in the Order of the Golden Dawn, a group of magicians and scholars. He initially joined under a disguise but later revealed his true identity. Despite his dedication to the group's teachings, Crowley's unconventional methods, including the use of psychedelic drugs to enhance spiritual experiences, led to mistrust among the members. His interest in darker forms of magic and his disregard for the group's rules eventually led to his expulsion. His personal life was also marked by scandal, with his first wife, Rose Edith Kelly, playing a significant role in his spiritual exploration, including a claimed vision of the Egyptian god Horus.

10:05

🏔️ Mountain Expeditions and Thelema's Birth

Crowley's adventurous spirit took him on a perilous mountain expedition to Kanchenjunga, where internal conflicts and a tragic accident led to further notoriety. His personal life saw the collapse of his marriage to Rose and the establishment of his own cult, Thelema, with its own 'Bible,' The Book of the Law. The Abbey of Thelema, a commune in Italy, became a hub for Crowley's followers to live out his teachings, which included sexual liberation and drug use. However, the commune's extreme practices, including alleged animal sacrifice and beasteality, led to its downfall and the expulsion of its members.

15:06

🔚 The Later Years and Legacy of Crowley

Aleister Crowley's later years were marked by personal struggles, including drug addiction and financial ruin. Despite a libel lawsuit and public humiliation, he found a second chance at life with the help of a devoted fan, Deirdre MacLellan, with whom he had a son. His final years were spent in reflection and a newfound appreciation for family. After his death in 1947, his influence continued to grow, with his teachings inspiring musicians and artists, and his life and works becoming a symbol of counterculture and individual freedom.

Keywords

💡Aleister Crowley

Aleister Crowley was a British occultist, writer, and ceremonial magician who is a central figure in the video. He is known for his rebellious lifestyle and controversial beliefs, which include self-identifying as 'The Great Beast 666' and challenging the norms of society and religion. His life and work are the main focus of the video, illustrating his transformation from a religious upbringing to a life of magic and self-expression.

💡The Great Beast 666

The Great Beast 666 is a title Aleister Crowley adopted for himself, which is derived from the biblical figure of the Antichrist as described in the Book of Revelation. This title reflects Crowley's notoriety and his challenge to conventional religious beliefs, as well as his self-identification with powerful, rebellious forces. It is used in the script to emphasize his infamy and the perception of him as a figure of evil or a dark genius.

💡The Plymouth Brethren

The Plymouth Brethren is a Christian fundamentalist group that influenced Crowley's early life due to his father's involvement. The group's strict beliefs and practices, such as the avoidance of excess and the idea that anything beyond necessity was sinful, shaped Crowley's upbringing and contributed to his later rejection of these teachings and his embrace of a life of indulgence and personal freedom.

💡Occult

The occult refers to the study of secret, hidden, or mystical knowledge, often involving practices outside of mainstream beliefs. In the video, Crowley's interest in the occult is a significant aspect of his life, leading him to join secret societies like the Order of the Golden Dawn and to explore practices such as magic, summoning spirits, and rituals that were considered radical or taboo.

💡Order of the Golden Dawn

The Order of the Golden Dawn is a secret society focused on the study and practice of the occult, which Crowley joined. It is depicted in the video as a group that claims to have translated ancient texts and to perform real magic. Crowley's involvement with the Order and his subsequent departure due to disagreements and his pursuit of more radical practices highlight his commitment to exploring the occult and his contentious relationship with established groups.

💡Sex Magic

Sex magic, as mentioned in the script, is a practice that Crowley taught and believed in, which involves using sexual energy and orgasm to channel intentions to the universe. This concept is part of Crowley's teachings in his cult, Thelema, and reflects his belief in harnessing the power of human experiences for spiritual or magical purposes.

💡The Book of the Law

The Book of the Law is a text that Crowley claimed to have received as a divine revelation from a supernatural entity named Aiwass. It is considered a sacred text by followers of Thelema, the religion Crowley founded, and contains the famous phrase 'Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.' The book represents a turning point in Crowley's life and the development of his philosophy.

💡The Abbey of Thelema

The Abbey of Thelema was a commune established by Crowley in Italy where he practiced and promoted his religious and philosophical beliefs. The Abbey is depicted in the video as a place of extreme freedom, indulgence, and controversial rituals, reflecting Crowley's rejection of societal norms and his pursuit of personal liberty and self-discovery.

💡Black Magic

Black magic, in the context of the video, refers to the darker or more sinister practices of magic that Crowley was accused of being interested in. While some members of the Order of the Golden Dawn were concerned about Crowley's intentions with magic, Crowley himself did not shy away from exploring these practices, which added to his controversial reputation.

💡Thelema

Thelema is the religious philosophy and cult founded by Crowley, based on the principles outlined in The Book of the Law. It emphasizes the importance of the individual will and personal freedom, as encapsulated in Crowley's famous maxim 'Do what thou wilt.' Thelema is a key aspect of Crowley's legacy and the practices at the Abbey of Thelema.

💡Cult of Personality

The term 'cult of personality' is not explicitly mentioned in the script, but it can be inferred from the discussion of Crowley's influence and the groups he formed. The concept refers to a system where an individual's ideas and beliefs are so influential that they form a cult-like following. In Crowley's case, his teachings and practices led to the formation of groups like The Abbey of Thelema and influenced individuals who continued his work, demonstrating the extent of his personal impact.

Highlights

Aleister Crowley was a self-proclaimed magician, scholar, writer, and spy, known as 'The Great Beast 666'.

Raised in a strict religious household, Crowley's early life was marked by rebellion against the teachings of The Plymouth Brethren.

His father's death and subsequent care from his uncle introduced Crowley to a life of excess, in stark contrast to his upbringing.

Crowley's rejection of religious teachings and embrace of his own free will led to his self-identification as 'The Beast'.

At Cambridge, Crowley's introduction to the occult and his love for a fellow classmate, Herbert Jerome Pollitt, furthered his rejection of Christianity.

Inheritance of the family fortune allowed Crowley to pursue his interests in the occult and magic without restraint.

Crowley joined the Order of the Golden Dawn, an organization of aspiring wizards, where he quickly progressed through the ranks despite initial mistrust.

His involvement with the Order of the Golden Dawn led to Crowley's exploration of magic, philosophy, and spiritual practices.

Crowley's use of psychedelic drugs in an attempt to intensify spiritual experiences was a point of contention within the Order.

His purchase of Boleskine House on the shores of Loch Ness was a significant step in his pursuit of performing magic rituals.

Crowley's marriage to Rose Edith Kelly and their experiences with the occult, including Rose's vision of the Egyptian god Horus, were pivotal in his beliefs.

The reception of 'The Book of the Law' through Aiwass, Crowley's guardian angel, marked a major turning point in his life and teachings.

Crowley's expulsion from the Order of the Golden Dawn and subsequent formation of his own cult, Thelema, demonstrated his break from traditional occultism.

The Abbey of Thelema, Crowley's commune in Italy, became infamous for its debauchery and alleged dark rituals.

Crowley's influence extended to the United States, where he inspired figures in the occult and the founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard.

His later life was marked by addiction, legal troubles, and a reclusive existence, contrasting with his earlier notoriety.

Crowley's relationship with Deirdre MacLellan and the birth of their son marked a period of personal growth and reflection.

His death in 1947 and the subsequent controversy surrounding his funeral highlighted the enduring impact and divisive nature of his life's work.

Posthumously, Crowley's teachings and philosophy have inspired musicians and artists, leaving a lasting legacy in popular culture.

Transcripts

Aleister Crowley may just be one of the most interesting men who ever lived.

He was a self-proclaimed magician, scholar, writer, and even an undercover spy.

He was known as “The Great Beast 666”, because some even believe that he was the

AntiChrist told in the Book of Revelation.

Others believe that he was a genius and a visionary, and that the world would not be

the same if it were not for his teachings.

Today, we’re going to talk about the life of this legendary figure, and you can decide

for yourself if he truly was “The Wickedest Man Alive”.

How The Boy Became A Beast In 1875, Edward Alexander Crowley was born

in Warwickshire, England to two extremely religious parents.

His grandfather had a successful distillery business, and yet his father never wanted

to spend any of the money, because he believed drunkenness was a sin.

He became a preacher instead, and passionately evangelized the teachings of a fundamentalist

Christian group called The Plymouth Brethren.

They taught young Edward to live life as simply as possible, and that men only existed to

serve God.

Any form of excess; whether it was spending money, dressing in nice clothes, or eating

more than was absolutely necessary was considered a sin, and the temptation to indulge in anything

was considered the work of the Devil.

When he was very young, Edward looked up to his father, and wanted to become a preacher

just like him.

He obeyed his parents every demand, and instead of going outside to play with other children,

he studied the Bible.

This didn’t make him very popular in school, and he was bullied mercilessly by the other

children.

His father died of tongue cancer when he was only 11, and he was left in the care of his

overzealous mother.

Living under such harsh conditions on a daily basis made Edward very sick.

The doctors said that he was so weak, he would die within just a few months, if no changes

were made.

Thankfully, his uncle stepped in and suggested that maybe the boy needed to live in the countryside.

Edward moved in with his uncle, and began mountain climbing and running through the

forest, where he breathed fresh air.

His uncle allowed him to have fun, which was a concept that had been completely foreign

to him up to that point.

He even brought him to pubs and let him drink underage, and paid for a prostitute so he

could lose his virginity at 15.

After all, the doctors said he might die soon, so his uncle wanted him to experience as much

fun as he possibly could with the time he had left.

His health fully recovered, and he was sent back to live with his mother.

But Edward had changed in his time away, and he was in a full-blown teenage rebellion.

He knew that The Plymouth Brethren were to blame for his sickly childhood, and he rejected

all of their religious teachings.

He no longer wanted to be a preacher, and he wanted the free will to make his own life

choices.

He hated the idea that nearly everything that made people happy was considered to be a “sin”.

His mother was shocked that her obedient son had changed so much in his time away, and

said that he had become “The Beast” from the Book of Revelation.

After arguing with her, he decided that if he needed to commune with the Devil in order

to live his life according to his own rules, so be it.

He would become the Beast his mother said he was.

One of the first wicked things he did was have sex with the maid on his mother’s bed,

just to spite her.

When she found out, she fired the maid immediately, and poor girl’s reputation was ruined to

the point where she could no longer find work.

The maid was forced into prostitution, and Crowley claimed that she became Jack the Ripper’s

first victim.

He even said that he knew The Ripper personally, and that he was an occultist.

Later, he would write about his formative years, “I was in the death struggle with

self: God and Satan fought for my soul those three long hours.

God conquered — now I have only one doubt left — which of the twain was God?”

Awakening When Crowley graduated from High School, he

was sent him away to Cambridge, where he introduced himself to his new classmates as “Aleister

Crowley”.

He joined the chess club, and was able to win several competitions.

In 1898, when Aleister was 22 years old, he fell in love with a fellow classmate, Herbert

Jerome Pollitt.

Very few people in the school knew that Herbert had an alter ego, dressing in drag in private

nightclubs as “Diane de Rougy”.

Crowley wrote love poems about Herbert, and they are filled with anguish about his wish

to be with him.

Clearly, his bisexuality was even more motivation to reject Christianity.

In the eyes of the church, his love for Herbert was considered to be an abomination.

After graduating from university, Aleister inherited the Crowley family fortune, and

he could finally do whatever he wanted.

He began to hire female prostitutes nearly every day, and bought books on the occult.

He was writing dirty poetry and publishing them overseas under a pen name.

When he was in his early 20’s, he found out that he was not alone in his fascination

with the occult and the possibility that magic could be real.

He joined a group of aspiring wizards called the Order of the Golden Dawn, which had famous

members like the poet William Butler Yeats, and Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula.

They claimed that they had translated ancient Egyptian texts, old grimoires filled with

ancient spells, and Jewish mysticism from the Kabbalah.

They believed that they could perform real magic, communicate with angels, and get to

know their inner soul.

When he showed up to his first meeting of the Order of the Golden Dawn, Crowley was

wearing a disguise and introduced himself as the “Count Vladimir Svareff”.

He was still afraid that his family would find out that he was dabbling in the occult,

and he did not want to ruin his reputation.

No one was convinced of his costume, though, because he was this baby-faced youth wearing

a false mustache and speaking in a terrible Russian accent.

Later on in life, Aleister Crowley actually became a secret agent for the British government

during World War I, because he claimed that he successfully infiltrated a secret society...Technically,

that’s true, but the result of his spy career was probably more along the lines of The Pink

Panther rather than James Bond.

After he felt comfortable knowing that The Golden Dawn took privacy very seriously, Crowley

admitted to his true identity.

Unfortunately, he had already started things off on the wrong foot, and some people in

the group found it hard to trust him.

Despite this initial deception, Crowley took their teachings very seriously, and he was

able to quickly move on through the lessons.

The Golden Dawn wanted its new members to be able to get in touch with their inner soul

before they were taught real magic.

This was accomplished through a lot of discussions of philosophy, yoga, meditation, and mantras.

They would write down their dreams in daily journals, and interpret what they meant about

their inner selves.

However, there were some spells that they performed on a daily basis, because they truly

believed that they could summon angels to their aid.

“The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram” goes like this: “In the Name of God, the

God of Yisrael: may Michael be at my right hand, Gabriel at my left, Uriel before me,

Raphael behind me, and above my head, the presence of God.”

Crowley believed so strongly in the supernatural, that he claimed that these early stages of

a magical journey were getting in touch with your “guardian angel”.

He openly talked about his desire to call upon demons and ancient gods, as well.

He incorporated psychedelic drugs into his routines, because he believed that it intensified

his spiritual experiences.

This was all genuinely concerning to the rest of The Golden Dawn.

Many of them were teetotaling aristocrats who felt that his ideas were radical, if not

downright terrifying.

The members did not want Crowley to rise in the ranks of the society, because he was clearly

interested in black magic, and they believed he would use his powers for evil.

There was a strict rule that no one could pay one another to teach them magic, but he

managed to convince one of the members to teach him higher levels of spells in exchange

for free rent.

In his books, Aleister Crowley casually mentions walking in on his roommate as he was levitating,

as if this was totally normal among the members of the Golden Dawn.

In 1899, when he was just 24 years old, Aleister Crowley bought a mansion on the shores of

Loch Ness in Scotland called Boleskine House just so he could perform a spell called The

Abramelin Ceremony.

However, nothing actually happened.

He never saw any angels or demons, no matter how hard he tried.

Apparently, he grew tired of doing this ritual every day single day without seeing any results,

so he wandered off to do something else.

Rumors spread that since he failed to finished the ceremony, this unlocked the gates of Hell.

Years later, Jimmy Page, the lead guitarist for Led Zeppelin, purchased Crowley’s home

on Loch Ness.

He claimed that the house was truly haunted by Crowley’s demons.

Speaking to the gods Aleister Crowley’s first wife was a woman

named Rose Edith Kelly.

When they met, she was a young widow who was engaged to a man that her parents chose for

her.

Crowley convinced her to elope with him, instead, after only knowing each other for just one

day to prevent her from entering into the arranged marriage.

They ran away on a spur-of-the-moment honeymoon to Egypt together.

Crowley brought Rose into a dark cave and began reciting his spells.

He was reading from a book called Goeta: The Lesser Key of Solomon in an attempt to summon

the Egyptian god, Horus.

He went through his chant, when Rose’s head suddenly fell back.

She claimed that in that moment, she had a vision and heard the voice of Horus.

Crowley was frustrated with Rose, assuming that she was playing a prank on him.

He had been studying the occult and attempting to summon demons and gods for years, and they

never appeared to him in any visions.

So he couldn’t believe it was possible for Rose to evoke Horus when she wasn’t even

trying.

But she kept insisting that she truly did see something in the caves, and that the gods

had been angry with him up until that point, because of his arrogance.

Still not believing her, Aleister took her to one of the museums, and asked her to point

out the god she saw.

Rose walked right up to the correct image of Horus, at exhibit number 666.

After seeing the proof, they rushed back to their apartment in Cairo, so that they could

talk about the visions in private.

Rose said that Horus had given her instructions on how to communicate with the spirits.

She gave Aleister a specific ritual to perform.

When he was done, he heard a whisper over his shoulder from the voice of his guardian

angel, Aiwass.

The angel instructed him to write down all of the information over the course of three

days, and published in a text called The Book of The Law.

The most famous quote was, “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law”.

Basically- do whatever you want to do with your own life.

Crowley was thrilled with this revelation, and when he returned to England, he told all

of his friends in the Golden Dawn about the voices he and Rose heard in Egypt.

Many were reluctant to believe him, and some were angry, believing that he he had been

tricked into actually communicating with a demon, instead of a guardian angel.

At this point, they were still refusing to allow Crowley to graduate into the next level

of the secret society, so he visited the leader of the Paris chapter of the Golden Dawn, MacGregor

Mathers.

He explained the situation back in London, and Mathers seemed to agree that Crowley deserved

to enter the next level.

When he returned to London with his certificate from Mathers in hand, the other members still

wouldn’t accept him.

So, he snuck into the clubhouse and changed the locks.

The next day, he laughed at the men as they failed get inside.

Not surprisingly, he was officially kicked out of The Golden Dawn after this.

A year later, in 1905, Aleister Crowley took a group of his friends climbing on Kanchenjunga,

which is one of the largest and most treacherous mountains in the world.

They reached 25,000 feet, but one of the men on the expedition, a photographer named Jules

Jacot-Guillarmod, was angry at how Crowley was treating everyone else on the crew, and

he wanted to take over the expedition.

The expedition was marred by arguments between Crowley and the others, who thought that he

was reckless.

They eventually mutinied against Crowley's control, with the other climbers heading back

down the mountain as nightfall approached despite Crowley's warnings that it was too

dangerous.

Subsequently, Pache and several porters were killed in an accident, something for which

Crowley was widely blamed by the mountaineering community.

It was claimed that Crowley sat inside of his tent and tried to summon a demon.

At that very moment, an avalanche came down the mountain.

They screamed for his help, but Crowley ignored them, and left them for dead.

He later wrote that he had absolutely no sympathy for the unfortunate accident, even though

many of the men miraculously survived.

Crowley Goes His Own Way Aleister Crowley’s marriage with Rose fell

apart after the death of their first daughter when she was only 2 years old.

Even though they had a second daughter together named Lola Zaza, it was clear that they were

no longer in love, and Rose fell into a deep depression.

They got a divorce in 1909 based on his own adultery, and just two years later, he had

to put her in an asylum for having neurological damage from her alcoholism.

This tended to be a trend, because most of the people who even attempted to have a personal

relationship with Crowley ended up having their lives completely ruined.

It’s sort of a “chicken or the egg” scenario- Did his belief in the occult attract

mentally unstable people into his life, or was his wickedness enough to drive anyone

insane?

Crowley was not very interested in being a father, so he left his daughter in the care

of boarding schools and nannies.

He started his own cult called Thelema, where he taught The Book of the Law like it was

their Bible.

He started a commune at a villa in Italy that he called The Abbey of Thelema.

Everyone who lived there was encouraged to do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted.

They took drugs, had orgies together, and children were running around the grounds naked.

One of the rooms in the villa was called The Nightmare Room, where Crowley painted terrifying

pictures on the walls.

He encouraged his followers to take LSD and stare at the frightening images until they

completely lost fear of anything.

The neighbors were shocked, and even to this very day, the locals say the place is haunted

by a curse.

Rumor has it that the rituals became more and more intense, to the point where they

even participated in beasteality and animal sacrifice.

One of Aleister’s lovers, a woman named Leah, had a nervous breakdown after this,

and she went straight to the British press after she stated one of the followers died

after drinking the blood of a cat.

The Italian authorities came in to force the group out of the house, and banned them from

ever returning.

The Abbey of Thelema is still abandoned to this very day, and people believe that it

is haunted.

Aleister Crowley visited the United States to spread Thelema, and he inspired several

people to practice the occult as well, including rocket scientist Jack Parsons and the founder

of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard.

He taught them how to perform “sex magic”, which was the belief that in the moment of

orgasm, their intentions could be heard by the universe.

Unfortunately for Crowley, all of the drugs and sex caught up with him.

He became a full-on heroin addict, and lost a tremendous amount of weight.

In the 1930’s, a journalist labeled Aleister Crowley as a “black magician”.

After years of running cults and buying properties all over the world, his inheritance had finally

run dry.

He was living alone in a boarding house, doing whatever he could to get his fix and stay

alive.

He decided to sue the journalist for libel, even though he had called himself a magician

and “The Beast” in his own books.

He lost the case, of course, and he had to endure public humiliation.

Many people never saw him in London again, so they spread a rumor that he died from a

drug overdose all alone in his boarding house.

They felt that this would be a fitting end to such a wicked man.

But in reality, fate gave him a second chance at life.

A young woman named Deirdre MacLellan approached Aleister Crowley after the trial was over.

She said that she had read all of his books, was a huge fan of his work, and wanted to

have his child.

Now, this level of admiration was creepy enough for most celebrities to run in the opposite

direction, but Aleister Crowley was so desperate, he agreed to go home with the stranger.

McClellan helped him get clean from drugs, and she stayed with him through the worst

of the withdrawl.

After he was healthy again, they had a son together, who was named Aleister Ataturk Crowley.

Little Aleister was Crowley’s pride and joy, and he felt a lot of regret for the way

he acted in his younger years.

After living his entire life trying to prove that people should be as selfish as they possibly

can be, he finally realized that true happiness and fulfillment came from family.

They lived in a house in Cornwall, where they spent summers on the beach.

According to Deidre McClellan, Aleister Crowley slipped into a coma just before he died.

The sky lit up in a cacophony of thunder, as the gods came to reclaim his soul.

He died in 1947, at 72 years old.

In reality he died of chronic bronchitis aggravated by pleurisy and myocardial degeneration.

His funeral was held at a Brighton crematorium and about a dozen people attended, and Louis

Wilkinson read excerpts from the Gnostic Mass, The Book of the Law, and "Hymn to Pan".

The funeral generated controversy, and was labelled a Black Mass by the tabloids.

Years after his death, artists and musicians from all over the world started to read Aleister’s

Crowley’s work, and it inspired them to live their lives they way they wanted, as

well.

Hippies based their “free love” movement on his teachings, and even John Lennon considered

him to be a hero, putting him on the cover of Sgt.

Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club.

His motto of "Do What Thou Wilt" was inscribed on the vinyl of Led Zeppelin's album Led Zeppelin

III.

David Bowie made reference to Crowley in the lyrics of his song "Quicksand".

His life was filled with outrageous claims and without his attempts to shake up proper

Victorian society, the world we live in today just may not have been the same without Aleister

Crowley.