Aleister Crowley: Great magician or exotic outsider?

One of the most colourful characters of the 20th century was the self-declared magician Aleister Crowley. His real name was Edward Alexander Crowley, he was born in Britain in 1875 and tried his hand at many things throughout his life. He achieved considerable success as a mountaineer, a sport for which he had a high regard. Crowley was also an author, editor, occultist, mystic and poet.

Together with the artist and painter Lady Frieda Harris, he created an aesthetically beautiful tarot deck that is still one of the most widely used today. However, Crowley greatly altered the symbolism of the Tarot and in particular the system of court cards.

Crowley was the son of strict religious parents who insisted on the daily study of the Bible. By his own account, the young Crowley was attracted to torture and pain, and to blood, at least as far as descriptions of such things were concerned. They excited him immensely, as did the idea of himself as a victim. After his magical 'awakening' he was driven by his troubled life – he was a member of the famous 'Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn' and came into contact with the ideas of the Rosicrucians. In fact, Aleister Crowley was once a member of a Masonic lodge – albeit an unrecognised one.

What made him so special, the magician of his own grace, must be seen in the context of his time. His views on sexuality and other matters were outrageous, but they made him a celebrity who, though repulsive to the masses, was irresistibly interesting. In an age of bourgeois morality, Crowley's excesses were scandalous, and the aura of evil was inevitable. Polygamy and homosexual tendencies were not uncommon – but they were strictly taboo. Crowley broke the seals, so to speak, and did what he did in public, or perhaps for the public. He was desperately sought access to the various mysteries – at least those that were fashionable at the time (some of them, such as the Jewish Kabbalah, are still very important and have followers today).

In order to delve deeper into the subject, Crowley began to experiment with drugs. Throughout his life, he regarded drug use as an effective tool, and even more: a way of life, as he stated in his book 'Diary of a Drug Fiend', although he also pointed out the dangers. He was a heroin addict until his death in 1947. Over time, his penchant for self-promotion produced some strange results. He began to refer to himself as the 'Great Beast', in reference to the biblical number of evil, '666'. He believed he had an affinity with this number and saw it as tied to his destiny.

It is said that Aleister Crowley considered animal sacrifice to be perfectly appropriate for certain ceremonies, earning him the reputation of being a Satanist, but he never confirmed this throughout his life and it was probably not true. The Church of Satan does not consider Crowley to be a Satanist or a forerunner of the movement. However, there are various groups that claim to be inspired by Crowley, such as the group around mass murderer Charles Manson in the late 1960s.

Aleister Crowley's influence depends on the context of his time. Today he might be seen quite differently. A young man with a strong preference for BDSM practices and homophile tendencies is no longer unusual. Since the sexual revolution, no one is shocked by polygamy and promiscuity. A penchant for magical teachings or morbid circles has long since become socially acceptable. The exception is the killing of animals for ritual purposes. This disgusting and life-denying practice is outlawed. Drug addiction is also an everyday reality. Aleister Crowley would find it difficult to make a name for himself today as he did in his time. He would probably be seen as a weirdo, perhaps an exotic outsider with entertainment value, of which there are many.

The question is why Crowley is still considered a great magician and pioneer in some circles today, because in the eyes of many he did nothing more than create a canvas for his obsessions and predilections. He cannot be considered a sage, or even a magician, for any abuse of intoxicants closes doors instead of opening them. He would probably go largely unnoticed by the masses – had his penchant for posturing not led him into the music or film scenes. There you will find far stranger characters, and he would probably find it difficult to attract a large following. Competition is fierce – unlike in his day.

© "Aleister Crowley: Great magician or exotic outsider?": An article by Izabel Comati, 01/2011. Image credit: Magician in the night, CC0 (Public Domain Licence).