Mystics & Artist-Prophets:

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Superpowers – Aleister Crowley: Ministerial of Laws & Magic(k): In the previous post, we examined the connection between Jack Parsons and modern rocket scientists. In a post-apocalyptic worldview, rocket science has transformed into a form of altar worship characterised by voyeurism through symbols and depictions of ritualised sex represented by rockets. The title “Strange Angel” is misleading when considering the hierarchy of angels; the fallen angels seem more aligned with the ritualization and technological advancement whispered to individuals to inspire them, such as Parsons. Alistair Crowley had a significant influence on Parsons, who was a member of the Thelemic movement. Parsons often referenced Crowley’s poetry, such as “Hymn to Pan,” during rocket tests, believing that it brought good luck.

Aleister Crowley is known as a British occultist, writer, ceremonial magician, and the founder of Thelema. He gained prominence for his work in esotericism, ritual sex magic, and mysticism. Born into a strict Christian fundamentalist family, Crowley rejected this upbringing early in life and immersed himself in Western esotericism, particularly in Alchemy and Kabbalah. Crowley never held a conventional job and instead relied solely on his father’s inheritance, as his father was a member of the Plymouth Brethren, a religious sect. Growing up in such a strict Christian environment, Crowley later confessed in his biography that his rebellion against religion would significantly influence his future endeavours in sorcery. He contrasted the Christian religion’s associations with sex and sin through his own sexualised and ritualised practices. At the age of fourteen, he had sexual relations with a servant girl, which illustrated his early attraction to sexuality. This desire can be traced back to his developing puberty, during which he felt a strong impulse to possess her.

His mother gave him the title “the Beast” because she sensed something disruptive within him, something that echoed the themes of the Book of Revelation. In his teenage years, he became acquainted with Kabbalah Unveiled and E. Waite’s ceremonial magic, eventually joining the Golden Dawn. Later on, he delved into alchemy, which led him to understand that magic is inherently connected to human will—the true, deep, instinctive will. He realised that a simple magical ceremony is not enough; moments of crisis or excitement are required to activate the partial mind and facilitate intuitive actions that can make ventures successful. This idea is well illustrated by the remarks of William James: “A man can play a game for years with a high level of technical perfection, and then one day, in a moment of excitement, something clicks, and the game begins to play him; suddenly, he cannot do a thing wrong.”

This intuitive act can be summarised in music, especially in improvisation. Give a scratch DJ a break-beat loop, and soon, you will hear a language of abstraction that can be taken over – you are no longer playing the music. Instead, the music is playing you. And, of course, like any other instrument, you still need to know notations, chords and tabs, and scratching has its own set of rules. This intuitive act provided a way to address a fundamentalist rhetoric concern that it’s demonic, but rather it’s magic itself, which has an intuitive component. Crowley states in his auto-biography this creative act:

I soon learned that the physical conditions of a magical phenomenon were like those of any other; but even when this misunderstanding has been removed, success depends upon one's ability to awaken the creative genius which is the inalienable heirloom of every son of man, but which few indeed
are able to assimilate to their conscious existence, or even, in ninety nine cases out of a hundred, to detect...The basis of the [misunderstandings] is that there is a real apodictic correlation between the various elements of the operation, such as the formal manifestations of the spirit, his name and sigil, the form of the temple, weapons, gestures and incantations. These facts prevent one from suspecting the real subtlety involved in the hypothesis. This is so profound that it seems almost true to say that even the crudest Magick eludes consciousness altogether, so that when one is able to do it, one does it without conscious comprehension, very much as one makes a good stroke at cricket or billiards. One cannot give an intellectual explanation of the rough working involved...In other words; Magick in this sense is an art rather than a science. – Crowley *

Crowley asserts that Magic has something to do with the subconscious process, and actual ceremonies and rituals are not “apodictically related” to it – as an accidental juxtaposition of chords and finger movements related to creating a timeless banger. Edmund Husserl coined the term “beyond all question” as he understood that conscious processes are “intentional” – and that humanity’s vision of themselves as passive creatures in the active universe is false. It’s a mistake to believe consciousness is flat, passive or mirror-like. This position of awareness fits Christian fundamentalist and conservative strongholds in the imagination. It does not allow it to progress beyond its censored style of communication. That’s why all artistic stylised Christian products come out stale in comparison to secular or progressive entertainment.   

To create a timeless banger in the realm of creativity, it’s essential to move beyond constraining boundaries. Humanity often lacks awareness of the connection between will-power and intuitive action, leading to the point where intuitive action becomes part of consciousness. In the context of Paracelsus, the intuitive act is refined by the understanding that imagination serves as a tool for this process. Imagination should be seen as an instinctual force rather than a purely intellectual impulse.

Crowley spent time with the Golden Dawn, but he felt despondent because the group refused to promote him to a higher grade. After this rejection, he adopted the persona of a Russian aristocrat to observe how much peasants would bow to a nobleman. He then moved to Loch Ness and took on the name Lord Boleskine, where he practised conjuring spirits by studying “Abra-Melin the Mage,” intending to establish contact with one’s guardian angel. As he continued to conjure more spirits and demons, Boleskine House, where he was staying, became haunted. This activity had a disturbing side effect: the lodge-keeper, who managed the premises, ultimately descended into madness.

His mission now is to discover new horizons, much like a Nietzschean explorer venturing away from the comforting campfires of humanity into the cold, mysterious expanses of the universe. He also seeks to understand how magic is necessary, even if his effects are produced by sheer will. He suggests that it will not operate in a vacuum—except perhaps in moments of pure self-awareness. It requires conviction and purpose. This quest is reflected in his choice to engage with prostitutes. He feels a close connection to the sin of the flesh and the figure of the Whore of Babylon, often referred to as the ‘scarlet woman’. This association shapes Crowley’s self-image, intertwining with his desire to harness the fluidity of will and prevent it from dissipating into the sands of forgetfulness and self-deprecation. He has immersed himself in Christian and Eastern mysticism alongside the Upanishads and The Cloud of Unknowing. Now, his exploration of the mysterious continues with Kabbalah, which presents the enigmatic structure of the ten spheres linked by twenty-two paths. He concludes that the outcomes produced by a religion do not depend on the absolute truth of its doctrines; instead, these doctrines are vital for achieving real, tangible results.

In his mid-twenties, Crowley spent his time mountain climbing and forming a friendship with a painter named Gerald Kelly. It was Kelly who introduced Crowley to his sister Rose, who had a masochistic kink, and eventually, Crowley married her. A significant event in Crowley’s life was about to unfold: Rose was pregnant, and his attempts to invoke “sylphs” (spirits of air) for her benefit had an unusual influence on her behaviour. The most plausible explanation for her actions is that she had absorbed Crowley’s personality so profoundly that she formed a telepathic connection with him, expressing thoughts that lingered in his subconscious. Rose claimed that Crowley had offended Horus, a deity she said she knew nothing about. At a museum, she showed him a statue of Ra-Hoor-Khuit, one of the forms of Horus, and he was amazed to discover that the exhibit number corresponded to the number of the Beast in Revelation—666.

Rose, whom he now referred to as Ouarda, began to instruct him on how to invoke Horus. Although the ritual seemed nonsensical to him, he decided to proceed with it. He later claimed that the results were a complete success. Not only did he hear from Horus, but he also made contact with his own Guardian Angel, whom he had been trying to invoke for many years. This angel’s name was Aiwass. Horus informed him that a new epoch was beginning, a sentiment with which many occultists of the time, including Strindberg, would agree. From here, Crowley was instructed to take his Swan fountain pen and write. A melodic voice from the corner of the room began dictating The Book of the Law to him, assuring him that this book would resolve all religious issues and would be translated into many languages. According to Crowley, it goes further than any previous scriptures by conclusively proving the existence of God—or at least, an intelligence higher than man’s—with which humanity can communicate.

This text may represent a romantic attempt to emulate the mystic prophets of the past, whose reflections often had an angelic quality. The Book of the Law, with its central assertion, “Do what thou wilt” (a phrase borrowed from Rabelais and William Blake), appears to be an effort to create a semi-biblical text similar to Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Its style resembles that of Oscar Wilde’s biblical pastiche in his prose poem: “Therefore, be good; dress in fine apparel; enjoy rich foods and sweet wines, including foaming varieties! Also, indulge in love as you desire—when and where you wish, and with whomever you choose…”

Crowley viewed himself as a prophet and considered his work to be of equal importance to religious texts. In his belief system, referred to as Crowleyanity, the central tenet was Thelema. He exhibited a god complex stemming from his considerable ability to manipulate spiritual phenomena. This sense of self-importance and the recognition of his achievements can be seen in his work “Shaw’s Man and Superman.” His delusional self-importance becomes even more apparent during a snow-climbing incident where his sociopathic tendencies emerge. As part of a group expedition, the climb was tragically interrupted by an avalanche, which buried the other members of the group. At the same time, Crowley, who had managed to reach lower camps before the accident, refused to assist in the rescue efforts. He later admitted to his blatant disregard for those who were calling for help and ultimately perished, stating that he wasn’t particularly eager to render assistance under such circumstances. This incident reinforces the idea that his character is reminiscent of a sociopathic oligarch or dictator; the only difference is his perceived spiritual superiority. It’s essential to note that he was living off an inheritance, lacked job skills, and saw himself as an aristocratic conservative. However, as his inheritance dwindled, he ended up broke and became known for scamming his followers for money.  

His path is not through spiritual enlightenment but rather sorcery, sex magic(k), and drug use (mescalin) – a path filled with group orgies, cult-like behaviour, and narcissism – a lifestyle filled with infidelity as he took on numerous mistresses. His wife Rose had developed a mental illness [insane] throughout the marriage, an apparent result of being near a narcissist. This occurrence would recur towards people who became too intimate with Crowley. In 1910, he was validating the use of sexual magic through magical ceremony while juggling a new kink in physical sadism. He opened a Satanic Temple, a place where his debauchery proceeded.     

The Great War was pursuing him, so he made his way to America, where he met a writer on witchcraft named Seabrook. Seabrook recounts one of the strangest stories about Crowley’s powers. When Crowley claimed he had gained extraordinary abilities through his vigil, Seabrook requested a demonstration. Crowley took him along Fifth Avenue, where, on a relatively deserted stretch of sidewalk, he began to walk next to a man, mimicking his movements. Suddenly, Crowley bent his knees, squatted briefly, and sprang back up. At that exact moment, the man in front of him also buckled and collapsed to the pavement. After helping him to his feet, they noticed that he appeared confused and looked around as if he were searching for a banana peel. Modern practitioners of the supernatural often conceal their powers under the guise of stage magic or hand tricks, using these performances to mask their true abilities. In cases where tricks are not merely tricks—such as latent mirror reflection movements, levitation, and conjuring—they demonstrate genuine supernatural skills.

He moved back to London and, after a while, relocated to Sicily with his mistress, Ninette. By this time, Crowley was in his forties. While in Sicily, he stayed in a farmhouse, which he referred to as the Abbey of Theleme. It was a place for meditation and sex magic. By now, Crowley has the title of an occult personality and has numerous followers. He received visits from Australian businessman Frank Bennett and ex-naval officer Godwin (Fiat Lux). Godwin started his own Club, with his style of sex magic aligning more with the name Karezza from the Karma Sutra. After this, another Crowley disciple, Parson, together with Ron Hubbard, had its sexual cult group.

Frank Bennett’s upbringing, like Crowley’s, was about sexual repression; Crowley convinced him sexual magic was a way to unbind his subconscious. Frank was an inverse of Crowley as he allowed his subconscious to express itself, which resulted in transcendentalism and pure delight. Crowley differed insofar as he bursts into consciousness uninvited, producing exalted states and visions. Bennett understood that his everyday self-awareness was only part of the truth; his subconscious self was just as real. This realization acted as a kind of release for him, plunging him into a state of ecstasy. He returned to Australia filled with the message about the Beast.   

At this point in his life, he had reached his peak. However, from this point on, despite living until 1947, everything began to decline. The promise of his earlier years faded, and a repetitive pattern emerged: extravagant ceremonies, affairs, desperate attempts to secure funding, negative press coverage, and his efforts to defend himself publicly. He befriended a man named Loveday and his wife, Betty May. Betty was unimpressed by the Thelema cult and often argued with Ninette, eventually leaving the Abbey. Another disciple, Mudd, entered Crowley’s life, expressing a desire to join Thelema and giving Crowley his life savings. Crowley left the Abbey and his small family cult to live in France. In Paris, he wandered around, dazed by drugs. Leah, Crowley’s current mistress, along with Mudd, somehow managed to find him in Paris. Mudd was tasked with writing a pamphlet defending Crowley, addressed to Lord Beaverbrook, the proprietor of the newspaper that had caused much of the trouble. Eventually, Crowley would abandon his friends once more and move to North Africa with his new mistress, breaking the loyalty and respect of Leah and Mudd, who would come to despise him. When his new mistress ran out of money, Crowley found himself forced to ask his American friends for financial assistance.

Crowley has returned to Berlin, continuing the same patterns as before, but it’s clear he has passed his peak as a magician. The remainder of his life, particularly about magic, feels anticlimactic and is dominated by legal troubles. Symonds, a writer, met Crowley after the war while he was living in a boarding house called Netherwood at the Ridge in Hastings. A photograph from this period shows him as a thin, elderly gentleman in tweed, smoking a pipe and resembling a retired colonel. His significant weight loss can be attributed more to his addiction to heroin than to a lack of appetite. Even after his death, Crowley continued to provoke interest. In his seventy-second year, he began to decline, and his bronchitis worsened significantly. He passed away on December 5, 1947. During his funeral service, Louis Wilkinson, a novelist and close friend of the Powys brothers, read aloud Crowley’s “Hymn to Pan,” which is as gleefully and shamelessly phallic as one would expect from him.  

Superpowers – Aleister Crowley: Romanticising the Beast; who had no Compassion: There is this perspective by magicians to imbue Crowley’s time in Netherwood as a sort of redemption arc for his life that embraced occultism and controversial hedonistic lifestyle. He was a tired Magus, physically exhausted, but his brain was still intact. We should consider that his past reflections and contributions to spirituality outweigh his sins. Nietzsche’s quote certainly reflects this implication “all great things must first wear a terrifying and monstrous mask, in order to inscribe themselves on the hearts of humanity.” Certainly, it was a way to create an impression in a time when modern technology didn’t exist; algorithmic clicks and likes for popularity minimize any monstrous mask for shock value. Such is the role of any artist who adopts satanic appeal and wants to shock the world.

His creative output can be seen as a form of self-expression and a way to explore complex ideas about the human condition. He sought to challenge societal norms and explore the darker aspects of human nature, often through his art. This artistic exploration could be seen as a form of catharsis and a path towards understanding himself and the world around him, potentially leading to a sense of personal redemption. However, are we just filtering out specs of his personality that magicians don’t want to confront?

Like his hubris and pride—similar to the pride that led Lucifer to fall from heaven—magicians can embody a similar kind of arrogance, especially in a medieval context. In Christianity, magic is often seen as evil and associated with the devil. This belief holds significant weight, although fundamentalism has taken it to extremes of nationalism and division. The notion that someone could presume to wield the same kind of magic as God represents a major act of hubris. In the context of the Golden Dawn, magic is viewed through the lens of theurgy, which is described as the workings of God. It’s important to note that this does not mean usurping God’s authority; rather, it involves a different kind of engagement with the divine. The initiation process includes this work. Aleister Crowley is often regarded as a failed initiate, yet he became a notable figure when Chaos Magick emerged.

What he took away from living in America is fascinating in the sense that he saw the country as key to the future of Thelema. He hated American commercialism, the dollar worship of the United States, and the burgeoning class system that was creeping into the background. He loathed the treatment of African Americans that was happening in the Southern States and was against the idea of white supremacy. He believed that as soon as a new, westernised New World woke up to its true spiritual potential, it would stamp itself as a great civilising force, and all people must fold into that spiritual evolution; segregation of groups is not part of that evolution.

He had leftist concerns for his time and not to be mistaken for true spiritual compassion as opposed to the morality of politics, yet he lived like a conservative aristocrat. It seems perplexing, but he was not enlightened; it doesn’t show he was empathetic because we know how he treated his wives and mistresses with discontent, with most of them turning insane; even his last loyal disciple, Mudd, ended up in suicide. He was able to recognise shared common sense as values and interpolate that with hopeful utopian sensibilities – contrasted against the stark reality of the Great War.   

He felt that America as a whole had not yet engaged with the animist spirit of the land but rather imported Christian models of European Religion; there was resistance to it. He had a prophetic vision of America’s future as a world leader that would supersede other nations. Still, he also foresaw the country’s collapse, remarking on the leaders and their role as a vital key point in the fall. Crowley, an artist-prophet of the new Aeon, reiterated this prediction and confirmed his psyche accuracy. As modern America is in shambles, a figure like the Archon spirit of Trump, born on Crowley’s Blood Moon, certainly fits the role of a leader who would bring the New World Empire to its knees. Not as a disrupter of economics but rather a glitch in the system —a man who rebranded failure as a flare. People took to it because they were inculcated despair, and Trump became the figure of that symptom.

He had a vision—a revelation of a child. He saw Horus ascending. The old order of Assyrian religion, which involves sacrifice, martyrdom, and blood, is characterized by a form of living death in preparation for eternal life. His reaction to this revelation was one of personal conflict, a struggle between a nihilistic sense of futility and a feeling of optimism. This is the experience of an aristocrat who is unburdened by the need to work for a wage, allowing him the leisure to contemplate an existential crisis. This struggle remained with him and defined him for the rest of his life. It became a burden that permitted him to remain outside any conforming sides; his scepticism allowed him to approach spirituality like a scientist, using a methodical process.

People assume this was a way for him to self-reflect, as he allowed himself to be perceived as credulous, egoistic, and exhibitionistic because he was derisive of himself. You can perceive shared common sense, in this case, behaviour, and apply it as a way to mimic normal behaviour; it was always about self-mastery before self-actualisation. He was unable to be empathetic. The death of Poupee, his daughter, from one of his wives, Leah, accounts for this shared behaviour; it is doubtful he felt any real loss, remorse or sorrow, considering his sociopathic tendencies shown in his behaviour in that mountain incident.

His so-called scientific approach to spirituality had its limitations, as explored in Frank Bennett’s work, which demonstrated that true enlightenment could be achieved. However, for Crowley, this was not the case; he intruded upon consciousness rather than allowing the subconscious to express itself. As a young man, he exhibited extraordinary abilities due to an overactive subconscious mind; however, he never developed genuine inner strength—the kind essential for creativity. In the last 25 years of his life, he struggled with drug addiction and alcoholism. He lacked a sense of spiritual stillness and, by the end of his life, was unable to connect with anyone on a meaningful level.

Superpowers – Aleister Crowley: There is no Karma of Love for a Beast that Dwells in Darkness: Some of the mysterious magicians in history have always had counterbalances to their greatness. Simon Magus, often recognised as the founder of Gnosticism, was a controversial figure in early Christianity. He had garnered a reputation as a sorcerer through his miraculous abilities in Samaria. When Apostle Philip appeared preaching Jesus, Simon had a change in perspective; he was baptised and followed the apostle’s teaching, accepting the Christian faith.

His faith was put to the test when Peter and John arrived. The two apostles were laying hands on believers and granting them the Holy Spirit. Simon was captivated by their power, and rather than seeking true spiritual enlightenment, he offered them money in hopes of obtaining the ability to impart the Holy Spirit to others. Peter rebuked him, saying, “May your money perish with you because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money.” Fearful of punishment, Simon begged them to pray for him. However, his credibility was now damaged. Prominent figures in the early Christian tradition, such as Martyr Irenaeus and Hippolytus, accused him of founding Gnosticism. This movement preached the idea of secret knowledge and regarded the material world as corrupt and fallen. According to this account, Simon even declared himself to be divine, claiming to be God in human form.

Simon, while in Rome, gained the favour of Emperor Nero. According to the apocryphal acts of Peter, Simon challenged Peter to a battle of miracles to prove his divine power. In a spectacular display, Simon levitated himself high into the air, astonishing the crowd. Peter, in return, through the power of prayer, caused Simon to fall from the sky, crashing into the ground and ultimately dying from his injury. This symbolic magical battle became the struggle between pagan magic and Christianity in the ancient world. Over time, Simon Magus became known for his heresy, deception, and misuse of spiritual power. Christian tradition remembers him as a false prophet, the man who tried to buy the gifts of God. However, in some esoteric and occult traditions, he is seen not as a villain but as a misunderstood mystic – an early teacher of hidden wisdom that the Church later suppressed.            

Magus’s counterbalance is Peter, and Peter’s power of prayer caused Magus, with his Hubris and god complex, to fall to the ground. Simon Magus, according to the biblical narrative, failed to grasp the true nature of spiritual power and the nature of God. He mistook the power of the Holy Spirit as something that could be bought or manipulated rather than a gift of God to be received through faith and repentance. He also denied that God was just, believing in a higher god who possessed the true perfections. However, this Gnosticism is different altogether; arguments about whether it’s a false belief system are debatable.  

Crowley parallels Magus in that both are misunderstood teachers who created significant works but also had their flaws. Their shared trait is Hubris; however, it is important to note that Magus was never the leader of sex cult groups. Crowley’s spiritual shortcomings are evident in his approach to sex magick, which diverges from conventional notions of love and karma. There is a clear distinction between the ego and the soul, with the ego often embodying a more satanic attitude toward truth—characterised by opposition—while the soul strives for love and understanding. Crowley exhibited traits of egoism, narcissism, and sociopathy. The concepts related to the gods of Eros and Magic were well-established in esoteric traditions before his time. In the nineteenth century, texts discussing the subject of sex magic began to surface. Crowley was just one among many Victorian groups that contributed to the discourse on sexual magic, alongside figures like Paschal Beverly Randolph and Pierre Bernard, the founder of the Tantrik Order in America. All these individuals shared a perverse interest in sex during a time when such subjects were heavily subverted in a conservative Victorian era.

Jung’s counterbalance was Freud, much like the pantheon of gods stands opposed to the titans, or as the anti-Christ contrasts with Christ. Even the artist-prophet Jack Kirby, who can be seen as a romanticized version of “the one above all,” was still counterbalanced by Stan Lee. This illustrates a natural dual order of things. Those who focus solely on science, rationalism, or new atheism often fail to appreciate the mystery of existence if they remain fixed in a perspective that does not allow for further spiritual curiosity. The theory of everything shares the same infinitude as Christianity’s future revelations. A universe that was created from a tiny pinhead, with countless particles moving outward, suggests that these millions of infinite particles are following incalculably precise trajectories back to wholeness. These particles fit together with such miraculous accuracy that by observing the perfection of any one part, we can understand the perfection of the whole.

Enlightenment cannot be grasped by an atheist, even if they are agnostic who see themselves waiting upon that miracle to change their minds; it’s the wrong framing. You are like the Magus without the magic. You see yourself as special, whereupon your judgement has more validity than others; only when I see this miracle will the world’s perspective change with it. It’s ironic that something so special (enlightenment experience) that is fulfilling and eternal – can become a “thing”, an object of the mind. In that, the preciousness is gone. Nothing has been said can touch it; you are nothing at all. Everything appears in you because of the vastness of the mystery of you. 

Crowley’s ideas serve as a counterbalance to those of Blavatsky. His explorations of sex magic are deeply connected to his experiences with infidelity and his numerous marriages, which he viewed as challenges to conquer rather than partnerships based on mutual love and respect. In contrast, Blavatsky was a lifelong virgin and, in many ways, did not fully experience the completeness of karma and love. According to the 12th universal law, known as the law of Gender, the masculine (yang) and the feminine (yin) are fundamental principles of creation. To become a master and a true co-creator with the divine, one must balance these energies within themselves. Despite her prolific contributions to occult and esoteric subjects, as well as her identity as a magician, Blavatsky seemed to view the pursuit of a romantic partner or the experience of falling in love as an illusionary element of desire. The ego often leads individuals to seek completion through relationships, which can ultimately detract from the genuine intimacy found within those connections.

The seeker looking for that one piece of text that will complete them doesn’t know what it will look like, what form it will take, or even if they have already found it. Such is the urgency of the seeker that they may pass through or overlook what lies before them—the seeker is blinded by their search for “the one.” what is the “the one”? It was present in every single text they walked past, ignoring or dismissing it in their quest to find it. “The One” wasn’t just one specific text; instead, it was present in all the texts. The essence of “the one” was hidden within the multitude. The ocean is represented in all the waves, without exception.

Blavatsky’s sexual life resembled that of a nun, devoid of pleasure in the physical realm. However, it could be speculated that any carnal pleasure she experienced was realised through astral projection during deep dreaming, where her spiritual connections, notably with Colonel Olcott, were fulfilled. The voice of the seeker is only regulated within spiritual dimensions, regardless of the circumstances. Blavatsky understood that the love we seek is not found in any single person, just as spiritual enlightenment is not limited to one teacher or guru. Love surrounds us, but we often fail to recognise it because we are actively searching for it. In the Gospel of Thomas, when Jesus is asked, “When will the Kingdom come?” he replies, “It will not come by seeking it. It will not be a matter of saying ‘here it is’ or ‘there it is.’ Rather, the Kingdom is spread out upon the earth, and men and women do not see it.” Our beloved is already present all around us; we need to open our eyes to recognise it.

Superpowers – How Aleister Crowley understood End Times Apocalypse: In the Book of Revelation, Christ is portrayed as fundamentally different—almost like a Gnostic hero-warrior archetype ready to strike down the wicked. John the Apostle, a distinct prophet from the Apocryphon of John (which mentions different prophets), hears the sound of trumpets. Then, a voice declares, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last.” In a vision that resembles a psychedelic experience, John sees Christ with a sword in His mouth and holding seven stars in His hand. Suddenly, he finds himself in a heavenly realm, where he sees a throne surrounded by a rainbow. God sits on the throne, with lightning and thunder echoing in the background. The throne is encircled by 24 elders wearing crowns, and several blazing torches represent the seven spirits of the Lord. Additionally, there are angelic and demonic beings with wings, each possessing a different head: a lion, an ox, an eagle, and a man, all of which are covered with eyes on their bodies.

The story describes the origins of the four horsemen of the apocalypse and the seven seals, which can only be opened by the worthy. The one who breaks the seal is a slain lamb, a variant of Christ who has multiple eyes and horns. Following this, John witnesses the arrival of the four horsemen. Each of the first four seals corresponds to one of the horsemen, representing conquest, war, famine, and death, with Hades waiting afterwards. The fifth seal reveals a cry from the martyrs, those who are stained, residing under the altar, pleading for the Lord to execute judgment and avenge their blood. They are told to wait for more deaths and sacrifices to occur, suggesting that this Lord is bloodthirsty. The sixth seal signifies a cataclysmic collapse of the heavens and the earth on a cosmic scale. Before the seventh seal is revealed, 144,000 servants of God are sealed and kept safe. The seventh seal brings a profound silence before the impending storms. Following this, seven angels appear, each bearing a trumpet, with each blast heralding different forms of apocalyptic devastation. The first two trumpets signal destruction, while the third trumpet introduces a cosmic star, identified as Wormwood, resembling a comet striking the Earth—the fourth trumpet results in a loss of light and a disruption of time. With the fifth trumpet, the gates of Hell are opened, unleashing demonic beings that inflict suffering and torment upon the living on Earth. The sixth trumpet brings forth an army of demonic horsemen, leading to the death of a third of the population. Despite these calamities, humanity does not repent. At this point, John envisions a Beast rising from the sea, characterized by ten horns and seven heads. This Beast is empowered by and accompanied by a Dragon (Satan). Alongside them, a false prophet emerges, and together, they establish global control, imposing the mark of the Beast as a requirement for trading.

A scarlet woman arrives, riding on a beast, drunken from the blood of saints and the martyrs of Jesus. Sinful and possessed by demons, she faces her punishment in the form of fire as the Judgment of God consumes her. Following this, all the key figures gather at Armageddon, where John witnesses heaven opening up, and the King of Kings and Lord of Lords arrives—this marks Christ’s return for judgment, accompanied by the army of heaven. The beast and the Dragon are captured and thrown into the lake of fire, while the rest—the flesh of kings and captains—are put to death. Then John sees an angel binding the Dragon for a thousand years in a pit. Afterwards, he observes a throne where the souls of the dead stand before it, waiting for judgment. John then sees a new heaven, a new earth, and the Holy City of Jerusalem coming down from heaven, prepared as a bride. There is peace and harmony on earth, but John hears a voice say, “Let the evildoer still do evil, and the righteous still do right; behold, I am coming soon, to repay each one for what he has done.” – Revelation 22:11-12.             

John of Patmos wrote the Book of Revelation during a time of persecution when Christians were seeking hope. The text resembles a blend of the Old Testament and the mythology found in “The Lord of the Rings.” Interpreting it involves distinguishing between three main perspectives: the Futurist view, which interprets the text as a literal account of future events; the Preterist view, which sees it as a symbolic representation of the Roman Empire; and the Timeless Symbolic view, or idealism, which focuses on the ongoing struggle between good and evil. Unfortunately, the Futurist interpretation has gained traction, particularly among the Bible Belt in America. For many adherents, it serves as a literal warning about specific events that are supposedly impending on Earth, which, in reality, have never materialised.

Some individuals reference external concepts, such as the Rapture, to support their warnings about revelations. The idea of being taken away and lifted into the sky to escape what is to come next resonates with them. Literalists interpret each seal in the Book of Revelation as a sequence of real events that will unfold in real-time. Because it is deeply rooted in archetypal mythology and carries a timeless quality, any perceived events or natural disasters on earth are often associated with their literal interpretation.

This view drives everything from political ideals and how they would vote, but more importantly its fuel for a type fascism that adopts end times eschatology. As Trump mimics corporate models of Mussolini resulting in authoritarianism. Trump, however, embodies the rhetoric of conspiracy theory and end times epistemology setting him apart. He collectivise numerous billionare groups to one secret state group that otherwise had no determining agency to do so. All of which had been preparing for the environmental destruction of the world, and his MAGA base are nothing but tools or pawns for a collectivise agenda to which Trump only acts the part of commander and chief leader.      

Fundamentalist Christians, now aligned with the MAGA movement, share similar beliefs about the end times and eschatology, particularly regarding the apocalypse and the rapture. However, the key difference is that these state cult groups appear to be actively bringing about the apocalypse through destruction and the exploitation of the world. In contrast, Christians envision a spiritual apocalypse that is destined to occur. This reflects a shared sense of a bleak destiny; however, MAGA Christians may not realise that they are not part of the Magna Carta. There is no secret spaceship available for them to escape on—they are simply pawns in an agenda from which they are excluded. They will not be lifted to a ‘Golden City in the Sky,’ nor can wealth secure them a place in an underground fortress. The Secret State groups operate independently of any nation, essentially forming a country unto themselves.

MAGA perceives Israel as a fortress state, a perception rooted in a form of racist nationalism. This solidarity within a white ethno-state is influenced by nationalist political talking points, especially regarding immigration. Such views tend to overlook the colonial and imperial rule imposed on the land’s original inhabitants. The concept of Manifest Destiny is often used to justify their dominance over this territory. This mindset is deeply entrenched, leading to broken constitutions, ignored Supreme Court rulings, proliferated propaganda, and unfulfilled policy promises.

During Trump’s administration, illegal proto-fascist forces, like ICE, were employed to round up citizens, reminiscent of the Nazi era. Furthermore, they used the Ten Commandments in a utilitarian manner, highlighting their far-right authority by prominently displaying them in school classrooms. However, their actions often contradict the very commandments and institutions they invoke, as due process is frequently ignored. Ultimately, spectacle and sadism appear to be their primary tools. The quality of fascism of the 30s and 40s had a future horizon, and this proto-modern conception is a dark void. Ironically, as a group that uses futurist eschatology, they don’t believe in the future itself, as they slide between prosecution complexes and survivalist modes of behaviour, utterly incongruent with the real Christian concepts of love thy neighbour, forgiveness, and giving.    

Crowley viewed the Apocalypse as a purely symbolic concept. He adapted the idea of the great beast from the Book of Revelation and interpreted revelations not as warnings but as a symbolic initiation—a cosmic map for the soul. For Crowley, it isn’t about the end of time; rather, it signifies a new era of consciousness, or a new Aeon, that embodies the destruction of old gods, systems, and illusions. For Thelemites, Aeons—drawing from Gnosticism—represent spiritual ages governed by different divine principles. Crowley described humanity as having already passed through two distinct ages. The first was the Aeon of Isis, during which divine femininity was revered. The second was the Aeon of Osiris, characterised by themes of death, sacrifice, and patriarchal religion epitomised by Christianity. Currently, we are entering the Aeon of Horus, which Crowley describes as the “crown of the conquering child.” This new Aeon symbolises the rise of individual will, freedom, and self-realisation, often referred to as the inner Star.

The apocalypse is not a literal end but rather the end of the old world, one ruled by fear, repression, and blind obedience. The whore of Babylon does not represent a siren drunk on the blood of saints. Rather, she is sacred, the divine feminine that rides the Beast of carnal and physical existence, fully embracing life. To Crowley and his Thelema religion, the Beast represents a divine force that breaks the chain of order, and the apocalypse is not about punishment but rather an initiation by fire, where the soul passes through judgment, stripping away false identity to emerge reborn. Crowley and his book of the law, co-created by a spirit being Aiwass, parallel the same imagery of revelations but are understood differently.

As revelation warns against evil, Crowley’s law instead embraces transformation in his central message, “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law,” which is about discovering and obeying your true will – the divine purpose you were meant to fulfil. As such, the apocalypse is a metaphor for tearing down the false self, the ego built on religion, government and shame – and instead stepping into your divine nature. It’s the death of the slave mentality and the birth of the God-consciousness.