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MAGICK

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Magick is the fundamental text of magic and mysticism in the New Aeon written by Master Therion (aka Aleister Crowley). It took him 25 years to write, edit and publish the four parts of Liber ABA (Book Four) , collectively entitled Magick .
There are four parts that form it, namely:

  • Part I (Mysticism)

  • Part II (Magic)

  • Part III (Magic in Theory and Practice)

  • Part IV (The Law)

Part One and Part Two were written and revised with the help of Sisters Mary Desti (Soror Virakam) and Leilah Waddell (Soror Laylah), and published in 1912 and 1913 respectively. In his autobiography Crowley summarized the outline of the book:

“Part One of Book Four sets forth the principles and practice of mysticism in simple scientific terms, stripped of sectarian accretions, superstitious enthusiasms, or extraneous arguments […].
Part Two deals with the principles and practice of Magic. I have explained the real meaning and modus operandi of the entire apparatus and technique of Magic.”
(The Confessions of Aleister Crowley)

Beginning with a discussion of the universal origin of world religions through mystical revelation, Magick explores the theory and practice of mysticism and magic in light of modern scientific thought.

Part Three was written and edited with the assistance of Sisters Mary Butts (Soror Rhodon) and Leah Hirsig (Soror Alostrael), and published in 1929-30. The aim was to produce a complete treatise on the theory and practice of Magic, the culmination of which is the Knowledge and Conversation with the Holy Guardian Angel.

Furthermore, Master Therion inserted a large number of appendices to illustrate the Initiation system of A∴A∴; listed a curriculum useful to the Student and the Initiates; explains the text of the treaty through examples of rituals; and include the most important Instructional Books of the A∴A∴ and the OTO partly selected from issues of The Equinox magazine, the Official Organ of both Orders.
Crowley summarized the publishing project thus:

“Part Three was to deal with the practice of Magic, and Part Four the Book of the Law, with its history and Commentary; the volume actually indicated by the Book itself, in chapter III, verse 39”
(The Confessions of Aleister Crowley)

Part Four of Magick was not published until 1936 under the title The Equinox of the Gods. Here The Book of the Law, the revelation received by the Prophet himself in 1904, is approached as a case study; together with the reproduction of the original manuscript (Liber XXXI) it includes an autobiographical study of the events leading to its reception.

As Hymenaeus Beta writes in the Introduction to the official edition of Magick:

“his intent in writing Book 4 was not only to restore to magic the respect and honor that it commanded in times past; it was also to lay the foundation stone of a magical-religious system that would bridge the chasm that separates scientific skepticism from spiritual revelation. It applied this theoretical basis to the objective evidence offered for what Crowley called “the first postulate of religion”: communication with a pre-human intelligence.
This proof is The Book of the Law.”

Magick therefore constitutes the magnum opus of Master Therion, in which the magical and mystical theories and techniques taught in the two great Schools of the New Aeon, the A∴A∴ and the OTO, are exposed.

The OTO illustrates the principles of this in practice book. The method chosen was that of a progressive series of Initiations. Further practical instruction is provided to Initiates depending on their rank.

In addition to the Initiation Ceremonies, there are a number of other Ceremonies for the purpose of developing further education. Magick contains a selection such as the Canon of the Gnostic Mass of the OTO (Liber XV) .

“Your interest in Magick should be the Dawn of a New Life. […]
Determine how to contribute to the Great Work, the establishment of the Law of Thelema.”
(Magick, Prospectus, 1929)

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