Crowley and Blake

thorhammer

• #1

I'm using the William Blake Tarot of the Creative Imagination at the moment and a lot of the material I'm reading along with learning the deck seems to align strongly with the Thelemic worldview. Of course, I know that Blake predated Crowley by a long way so I'm wondering if Blake's work had any influence on Crowley?

I find it difficult to believe that such an educated and curious - and English! - man as AC would have been ignorant of Blake's work, so if anyone knows of material discussing the two, please point me in the right direction

\m/ Kat

 

Grigori

• #2

Blake's work was part of the GD syllabus, so Crowley would definitely have been familiar with him. There is an essay written by Crowley about Blake in Oriflamme. http://www.amazon.com/Revival-Magick-Other-Essays-Oriflamme/dp/1561841331 I think Blake is referenced in Moonchild also.

 

thorhammer

• #3

Thanks, similia

Ugh, I don't want to have to read Moonchild again That's one deeply unsatisfying, self-indulgent, nonsensical piece of fiction.

I might give it some time while I read the link you have posted!

\m/ Kat

 

Grigori

• #4

Do you have the companion book for the deck Kat? I wonder how it reads and if I should think about tracking down a copy of the book and deck...

 

thorhammer

• #5

I do, mate, and it reads really well. It's a no-nonsense little thing, no illustrations to speak of, but it's very good and I wouldn't even try with the deck without book. I think it can be found reasonably cheaply still, though I wouldn't know where to start.

Can you point me towards this GD syllabus content that references Blake, or is it *restricted* or something?

\m/ Kat

 

Grigori

• #6

hehe sorry, its restricted

Nah, its in the standard GD stuff, incorporated in and amalgamated like everything else. So the bad news is you just have to read everything they ever wrote and spot the Blake bits

http://www.yeatsvision.com/Blake.html
This might be interesting to have a read of too

 

Aeon418

• #7

similia said:

There is an essay written by Crowley about Blake in Oriflamme.

Click to expand...

Here's the essay.
http://www.ashami.com/eidolons/The_Antecedents_of_Thelema


EDIT:
Hang on a minute, it's not.
I know it's out there somewhere though. I'll keep looking.

 

thorhammer

• #8

Babe, don't hurt yourself I already bought the book that similia linked to above

But thanks, no doubt I'll read that ^^ too!

\m/ Kat

 

Aeon418

• #9

thorhammer said:

I already bought the book that similia linked to above

Click to expand...

Both essays are in that book.

 

thorhammer

• #10

I meant I ordered it after similia posted it above I don't have it yet . . . Amazon's not that good!

\m/ Kat