College of Thelema: Thelemic Education

93,

Welcome! I am not sure how much of a "newbie" you are, but, I'm still considering myself one (a couple years into it!). So, I'll throw my 2 cents in.

If you're looking to pursue a strictly Thelemic/ A .'. A .'. styled path of spiritual growth, than I can recommend without question, "The Mystical and Magical System of the A .'. A .'." by Jim Eshelman. This book has been indispensable to me, as it really provides an in-depth look at the A .'. A .'. system/ grades, etc. More importantly (for me anyway), is that it specifically breaks down what the aspiring Student should start with (there is a whole breakdown of the "Student Reading Curriculum", with specific breakdowns on many of the actual works). If you haven't familiarized yourself with at least the core points of the books listed there, than I would say that's a good place to start (you can also find much of those works online as PDF's).

I'd also recommend checking out other works, such as Fortune's "The Mystical Qabalah", as well as Regardie's "The Tree of Life" and "The Middle Pillar". These works clarified a lot early on for me, as a lot of Crowley's works on the same subjects are difficult for the newbie to understand/ absorb (at least for me).

The web also has a ton a resources available; with a little work, you can find a plethora of documents/ PDF's online.

Hope this helps.

Thank you to ALL who have posted replies to this thread. I am quite amazed by the responses you all have given, and I certainly have new ways of looking at/ approaching True Will going forth. I could quote a ton from what you all have written, but due to current time restrictions, I will do my best to summarize my overall thoughts.
Jim states, “You shouldn't let "what if my True Will leads me to do X" screw with you until you have a pretty good idea that it's what you will require of yourself”. This is totally on the money, and obviously, I can recognize that I still need to know what “I will require of MYSELF”, before I worry about much of anything else! What also really stuck with me was Jim’s other quote of “You might be stuck on the idea that your True Will is a particular, specific thing you have to do. That may be the form it takes. But you probably would do better in this soul-searching if you understand TW instead as a deep, fundamental motive (motivation) that is at the root of all of your choices, and that could unfold authentically in numerous specific ways.” Looking at TW from this perspective really helps to put the ‘what ifs” and hypothetical’s from my initial post, into a more realistic point of view.

Solitarius writes “From my own experience I would say that none of these questions would come up if something wasn't brewing beneath the surface.” You are correct – something is brewing, but what, I am not 100% sure! Most likely, it’s probably the fact that I am at the point where I have an insatiable desire, a NEED, to change, to grow spiritually, but have this feeling that my current “settings” will not (or should I say, may not) allow that. OR perhaps more so, I am not sure how far I am willing (as of now), to allow my current settings to change, for the fear that it will directly affect my immediate family. These questions/ dilemmas will all be answered in time, I know, as I begin the Great Work. That said, I could not say today that these questions/ dilemmas stem from my marriage/ fatherly duties. My wife and I have a fantastic relationship; we are very open with one another about everything, and do what I think is a great job in raising our son. And, I love my son more than words can ever describe, PERIOD. My wife does know (to an extent) about my interest in The Great Work, but not as much as she should, if I plan on “going for it” (which I do). THAT is where I do agree, I need to speak to her genuinely about this, as she and my children will be directly affected by my aspirations to obtain the K&C of my HGA. Perhaps my FEAR of her reaction to all of this, is what also may have subconsciously triggered the original post! I do however feel she will actually be supportive even knowing the detailed aspects. Maybe another fear is, I know she will be supportive, at least initially, but until what point?

Dar states “No matter what else we may be doing, we will feel the call towards the protection and nurturing of our offspring and that's an absolute primal drive within us. There's is no question about that. Yet there is a drive to personally evolve that sometimes is in competition to this other drive.” This NAILS it – this is me, right now. Time will tell. If/ when I discover my true will, I know that come “crunch time”, the decisions I have to make at that point will be without doubt, and automatic. Hopefully though, as Solitarius states, I won’t “have to leave the good things in life, to live alone and be like a hermit”.

Thanks again to everyone for the posts.

I have been lurking on this site for 2+ years now, almost completely as an observer, soaking up the knowledge, advice, etc from everyone who posts here. I posted early on and asked for some advice for a newbie, in which I received a ton of helpful answers. Since then, I have dabbled in (or you can say, "arm-chaired" in) different paradigms, including Ceremonial Magick and Chaos Magick, which at the very least gave me some practical experience with certain techniques, etc. In the end, however, I have been pulled back to Thelema, which is where my occult interests began (specifically, reading Diary of a Drug Fiend). Earlier this year, I realized that it's time to get serious about the Great Work; I purchased Jim's Book "The Mystical and Magical System of the A .'. A .'.", and have obtained (and am working through) almost all of the Student Reading Curriculum at the current time. It's been the best thing that I have done in regards to my spiritual growth, and I am beginning to "connect the dots" if you will, a lot clearer than I have in the past.

I am a bit older (33 to be precise), am married, tied down to a job, and have one 2 year old with TWINS on the way. I am a musician, and know that deep down, music in one form or another must be connected to my True Will. My current job is in the musical field, but what I do (clerical/ logistical BS) could very well be done just as well if I worked for an elevator installation company. While I understand that anything can be worked on to be changed, improved, or let go of completely (like a job, a smoking habit, etc) in order to work towards one True Will, there is also the reality that certain things, like it or not, are tied to you for good on this plane of existence. First and foremost, my wife and kids. If I find that it’s my True Will, let’s say, to do something musically related, yet pull me away from my family for a long period of time, that will greatly impact them, for better or worse. Perhaps positives would include financial gain/ stability, and the ability for me to fulfill MY True Will. However, would this be interfering on my wife and kids True Will, and possibly be detrimental to them? Meaning, my wife is left alone for possibly months at a time to raise our kids without a Father figure present?

What I am getting at is this: Is the finding of one’s True Will always possible (or more so, possible to completely fulfill), if you’re tied to people that will always be connected to/ influence you in some way or another? I have already committed to my wife and children, and they aren’t obviously some job or habit that I can work to change or omit completely. I am sure some of you on this forum are in the same boat, so any advice? Sure, family can be supportive, encouraging, etc, but in the end (and what scares me the most), if one finds that part of their True Will was never to have married that person, or have those children to begin with, than are they treated the same way as anything else detrimental to the Great Work (i.e., discarded, modified, etc)? I love them to death and could not even imagine uprooting myself if that happened to be part of my True Will. I just honestly see it as selfish. I also don’t see it working any other way though, as I don’t imagine one’s True Will is “flexible” by any means. Or is it?

" Diving straight into thelema may be unwise, I suspect the basic theory of hermeticism and ritual magick in general are best learned from other authors.

The chapters in book 4 on the weapons and furnitiure of the temple are suitable to beginers. But the Kabbaah and the tables from 777 and number theory are almost inpenatrable. Especially learnig basic kabbapah first is a must. I recomend The witches Qabbalah, as a very simlpified explination of the tree of life, and a way to employ it in practice. Also the Kabballah unveiled by elizabeth claire prophet, its not thelema to be sure, an understanding of the Kabballah ans esoteric christianity do feed into Thelema. I would also recommend Promethius Rising or undoing yourself by Christopher hyatt, and liber kaos by petter caroll, not to mention a broad base of different esoteric systems, learn basics of hindu, buddhism, gnostic christianity, and sufism. And learn the teaching of chaos/discrodianism, That truth is relative, beliefs are tools not ends in themsleves. (this can be applied to the tree of life, every sepheroith has a belief paradigm thatmay well contradict of conflict the others, the middle pillar sythesizes and transcends opposite paradigms.)

Any way once all that is very well established in your mind, you can almost understand what Crowley is talking about, most of the time, until he drops abscure names, riddles, and poems form his time, or just plain talks all around what he means but will not come out and say it. "

Thanks for the title suggestions - it seems that with my admitted inexperience, understanding these basic theories may be a more realistic place to start.

So far, I do find that Magick Without Tears is pretty intelligible to Crowley "newbie"; not nearly as cryptic as some of his other works I have attempted to read. This, along with the other suggested works, will keep me busy for quite a while. Thanks again to all of you for the advice.

93,

Thanks Jim, and to all the rest of you for your tips! I look forward to discovering these works. Any questions that may arise during my reading will be posted for discussion, as your input can only help me to better understand the basics of Thelema and Crowley in general. Much thanks!

Great, thanks again!

93,

Thanks to the both of you for the advice! After scouring the web, it appears that finding a relatively cheap copy of Magick Without Tears is virtually improbable, but I will keep searching.

Thank you again.

Greetings, all -

Aside from my initial introduction, this is my first post to the forum, and I am hoping to get some constructive answers and/ or advice from anyone who feels the urge to answer my inquiries below. I have been reading the forum posts for months now, and will admittedly say that a good chunk of the discussions are simply above what I can currently comprehend. While most of the topics are fascinating, I know that in order to better comprehend them, I need to start with understanding the basics of Crowley and Thelema in general.

I am a friend of a fellow member of the forum. He introduced me to a few of Crowley’s works, and to Thelema in general in 2006. Since then, I have been immersing myself in books about/ by Crowley, as well as other recommended texts on the Qabalah and Magick (Fortune’s “The Mystical Qabalah”, Regardie’s “The Tree of Life”). All of these texts have been fascinating to me. I feel, though, that while the information in these texts is invaluable, there needs to be some sort of cohesive order that should be followed in discovering them. I feel that I progressed into areas that are way above my comprehension out of pure interest, when I should have concentrated on the foundation texts of Thelema.

So, with this being said, where to start? Other than “The Book of the Law”, what are the fundamental Crowley “must reads”? Or, the fundamental must reads by anyone else that can help further along my solid understanding of Thelema in general? Any recommendations would be thoroughly appreciated. Thanks.

Thanks for the welcome Chris; much appreciated.

Cliff, it's nice to see you here as well. I look forward to becoming a regular participating member here on the forum.

Greetings all,

I am a 30 year old male from New Jersey, who has had a profound interest in Thelema (particularly in Crowley himself) for the past 3 years or so. I've been reading the forums here on and off for a while now, and decided to register in the hopes to interact with and learn from all of you here. I look forward to some stimulating conversation, and most of all, some guidance for someone who is not sure where (or how) to exactly "begin" the journey of discovering your True Will. While the underlying point of "Do what Thou Wilt Shall be the Whole of the Law" is clear enough, putting that into realistic motion to find your True Will seems awfully complex. My goal is to gain a better understanding of Thelema, the Qabalah, and Magick as a whole , in order to get enlightened and in touch with my HGA. With that being said, I look forward to interacting with you all!