Books on Crowley

Ac /ir

Yeah, I dig all the above.
Israel's confusion I believe is that he was just honest and it was crowley that behaved that way,'"When he was good, he was very, very good but when he was bad he was horrid!"
I heard a taped interview where Israel listed some atrocious things AC did, then became whimsical and listed some very nice things he did. The interviewer asked if AC was ever kind. IR stummbled, thought, seemed suprised at his own finding and answered that he thought he was.
I think it was a case of if you are pathetic and rolling in your own crap and wont do nutin about it, he'd put the boot in, if you extended a hand to ask for help to get yourself up, he'd be right in there.
See the description of character traights on Prince of wands (I believe AC saw this as himself) Also see Liber Jugorum ritual (or better still practice it for a while - in safe version!!!), experiemnt with two opposite and distinct characters in one self. One MUST try to comprehend him from the initiates viewpoint.
I believe a lot of this confusion relates to this magical practice

ravenest said:

Also see Liber Jugorum ritual (or better still practice it for a while - in safe version!!!), experiemnt with two opposite and distinct characters in one self.

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I consider it a bad idea to even mention Liber Jugorum. Knee jerk reactions are never far behind.

Aeon418 said:

I consider it a bad idea to even mention Liber Jugorum.

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I have the scars to prove it!

Not that it's a bad idea... it's EXCELLENT training in fact. Be ready for violent reactions from others, however.

Knee jerk reactions are never far behind.

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I don't think even Liber Jugorum can cure a reflex like that ;-)

Ross G Caldwell said:

Not that it's a bad idea... it's EXCELLENT training in fact. Be ready for violent reactions from others, however.

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It most definitely is excellent training. It shows you very clearly how much of the time you operate from an Auto-pilot form of consciousness. You do so many things all the time without full awareness of it. Unconscious bodily movements and even whole conversations!

I know what you mean about violent reactions. For some people just using a rubber band around my wrist was too much!

What's this Liber Jugorum thing then?

Is that where you cut yourself every time you say I?

I did that for a bit, but back then... Oh, fun with razors, you know...

I forgot. To be honest.
I'd need someone poking me and telling me when I'd said it.

So, is it that, or something else?

Lillie said:

Is that where you cut yourself every time you say I?

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That's it. It's guaranteed to provoke an extreme reaction from everyone who rants first and thinks later.

Yeah.

I shouldn't wear short sleeves in summer. But there we go.
Next time I'll blame Liber Jugorum.
Though pure insanity and a 'jug o' rum' would be truer.
Not to mention a fetish about very sharp blades...

It's been so long since I was into all this stuff. *sigh* I miss being mad.
Sometimes I think I should get into it again, but then I think of buying all the books I got rid of years ago...

One day though, I'll get Symmonds 'Great Beast' again.

I really enjoyed it. And, after reading it, liked Crowley.
It was my first introduction to him.
And, whatever is said about it being biased against Crowley, or inaccurate, I enjoyed it, and it was the one thing that really set me on a path I followed for years.

So, I would always reccommend that. Just for fun!

Lillie said:

*sigh* I miss being mad.

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Are you trying to be funny.

Lillie said:

*One day though, I'll get Symmonds 'Great Beast' again.
I really enjoyed it. And, after reading it, liked Crowley.
It was my first introduction to him.
And, whatever is said about it being biased against Crowley, or inaccurate, I enjoyed it, and it was the one thing that really set me on a path I followed for years.

So, I would always reccommend that. Just for fun!

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I think all biographies are biased. The author either likes their subject or they don't, and that colours their writing. John Symonds leaves you in no doubt as to which side of the fence he is on, so at least you always know where stand with him. (Unlike Israel Regardie )

Was I being funny?

Well, anytime I can make someone laugh...

But there is a certain freedom about being insane.
Both in the world, cos you can get away with almost anything if you are crazy, and also in yourself.
When you are mad you can stop worrying about anything.

Especially if they put you on the strong tablets.

So yes, in some ways I do miss it. especially the bit where they locked me away, and I didn't have to do anything, or think anything, or cook, or pay bills...
It was like a holiday. Like being a kid again.

And apart from that, the whole years and years that led up to that, sometimes I miss the way I thought, the way things made sense in a different way to how they do now...

Now I'm very old and sensible, I don't believe impossible things very often, and I stay away from sharp things.

Liber XXXXXXX

Okay I wont mention THAT L J word again!

Is it the authors arms in the photo ? ... I think not ... probably some poor student that took things quiet litterally. Betcha AC used a rubber band!
Ever see his arms?

Ever dealt with a disturbed adolescent (check their arms), ever been to Indonesia, (sometimes a guy will go ballistic -in an arguement, domestic, whatever- and instead of bashing someone else, he spills a little of his own blood), ever seen someones chest that made a mistake in interpreting Mass of the Pheonix (including Lom Milos idotic attempt) -its a burin guys! thats a little scratchy thing you mark metal with!

But us 'sane' white western Euros .... oooh! blood! .... and its my blood .... faint.

If you're not mad or insane, you must be mad to calmly handle all this mad crap that happens in the world every day.

Anyway, to get back to the thread. AC obviously experimented with the concept that personality (as a singularity and marker of identity) was a false concept. Look at some of the photos of him as well ... he loved dressing up, he loved changing personalities and exploring these shape-shifting realities.
I beleive he has systems for this. We have our Qabalah, we could create 7 or 10 personalities (angels and demons / sephira & qlippoth) and explore that as
well. It sure creates confusion in dealings with the outside world though!

Yeah, some people think I'm mad too (and in this case they'd put it down to multiple personality disorder - but I am claiming that I have multiple personality attempted order). Explore what you want, just remember there is a magician or central programme that calls the shots, if you loose that it gets dangerous and is likened to the most dangerous path of magick (according to AC) - the Acts of Worship.

I also believe AC worked on this in the OTO constitution, looking at all the different titles and degrees and explainations, one can see reflection in ones own pysche. The task is to become the Supreme and Holy King and rule yourself, each to its own function.

There is also an v. interesting article put out in an Sydney Uni. mag, about "Evidence of Spirits in Madness" - a paper by a psycologist who treated 'M.P.D.' disturbed people using Swedenburgian philosophy and other techniques, mainly assuming they were possesed by spirits, he never treated the patient ... only the spirits and his results and conclusions are quiet magical and relate to processes going on in some rituals ( like the LBRP).

No wonder we get very different opions from different people regarding Uncle Al!

Another favorite was a BBC radio interview tape I heard once,of people that had met Crowley. One woman describes a well dressed and polite man who came to dinner with a present of coloured pens for her young son and AC spent most of the night on the floor with paper and the kid drawing and playing with him. A delightful man, the woman said.

The next interview describes a man who came to dinner, well dressed, but the male host in question noticed a learing evil glint in his eye, and felt himself strangely and homosexually drawn to AC. he realized it was a battle of wills, all night he fought off the evil gay magick power, he knew that if he let his guard down for a moment, and didnt stay true and firm to his own sexual confirmations, he'd be hoplessly lost for ever. he battled him all night (psychically) and won! (Phew! I say! nearly went a bit gay there!)

So there is two sides to the story, and if I am sure of anything, I'm sure Uncle Al would have played both sides to their max!