Aleister Crowley

[Psychonaut]

http://www.theclimbingcompany.net/Aleister%20Crowley%20copy.jpg

What do you think of the man and his works?

[SuuT]

Welll...he stuck-out.:D

I respect Crowley a great deal in that he seemed, utterly, to be his own compass who also seemed compelled to rebellion because his nature said so - not for the sake of rebellion (although I am certain he would not have a great problem with that, either). He soaked-up life and was a great experimenter and creator with the raw material of inane social conventions and mores: Where the mass would see the 'glue' of society, he saw cracks to be exploited. (...although I doubt he was a happy man).

I think he was a high-functioning schizophrenic, actually, which manifested a little later than 'normal': one need only consider the 'dots' he thought to have innate conectivity (e.g. Sufism, Satanism, Catholic Esoterica, Numerology, Symbology, etc.)

One of my (ex) favourite reads, however, is the wonderfully unpredictable The Sword of Song (http://www.scribd.com/doc/2525501/The-Sword-of-Song-by-Aleister-Crowley).

[Mister X]

I've actually read Crowlys books along with a few others.

If you know of Crowlys material you know hes very materialist. And very, very negative. And thats the problem, because of those it almost seems to go against everything he says if you know these bodies of work.

What hes says is true and the method to get things and live life more efficiently, the problem like I said is he's so negative. In the outlook of other esoteric things his works is actually considered very low level and actually primitive. Particularly because of its association with only material, physical things, drugs and negative outlook.

Even the typical satanic method of writing and creating sigils, which are just archetypes/symbols so you can focus on your idea is pretty primitive as its focused on a physical creation. Its focusing on external material, rather than true self understanding.

[Thelema]

Crowley is OK, though some of his students are much talented and interesting to read than him.