Magick: Liber ABA, Book 4

Aleister Crowley’s Magick: Liber ABA, Book 4 is nothing less than the quintessential grimoire of the modern era, a work whose influence cannot be overstated. In this revised edition, the text emerges in its most complete and authoritative form, embodying Crowley’s genius and ambition with unprecedented clarity. Magick is not merely a book on occultism; it is a blueprint for the spiritual evolution of humankind, presented with the rigor of a scientist and the vision of a prophet. Crowley’s division of the book into four parts, each devoted to an aspect of magical theory and practice, allows for a gradual initiation into the deeper mysteries of both mysticism and magick. He begins with foundational discussions that span the origin of all world religions in mystical revelation, weaving these insights into a coherent narrative of universal spiritual development. Crowley’s magick is not an isolated Western tradition but an integrated system that acknowledges, and borrows from, both Eastern and Western practices. The meticulous inclusion of his studies in Yoga—particularly his ability to articulate these practices with scientific precision—elevates Magick beyond the confines of Western esotericism. The text shines particularly in its exploration of The Book of the Law, where Crowley’s own spiritual revelation is dissected with brutal honesty. His autobiographical account of the events leading to its reception provides readers with a rare glimpse into the psychological, spiritual, and magical processes at work during that fateful Cairo encounter. Whether one accepts the divine source of this text or not, the intellectual integrity with which Crowley treats it as a case study is commendable. This section is perhaps the book’s most personal, and also the most revelatory for understanding Crowley as both a mystic and magician. This edition’s extensive revisions, based on new typescripts, significantly enhance the accuracy of the material. The restoration of passages omitted in earlier editions makes this volume indispensable for serious students of Thelema, as well as for practitioners of the A∴A∴ and the O.T.O. The inclusion of Crowley’s corrections and annotations offers insight into his evolving thoughts and personal refinements, while the cross-references, diagrams, and comprehensive glossary serve as invaluable tools for deeper study. In contrast to the often abstruse language of his contemporaries, Crowley’s writing in Magick is direct, unapologetic, and at times ruthlessly logical. His disdain for "the imprecise language of mysticism" is evident throughout, as he strives to ground even the most arcane subjects in rational discourse. For those familiar with his more poetic works, the precision of this text may come as a surprise, but it is precisely this clarity that ensures Magick remains a cornerstone of occult literature. Magick: Liber ABA, Book 4 stands as a monumental achievement—a convergence of scientific inquiry, spiritual exploration, and personal revelation. Crowley’s vision of the New Aeon is laid bare, not in abstract philosophy, but in the detailed, methodical instruction provided within these pages. This is a book that demands not just to be read, but to be studied, practiced, and, most importantly, lived.

This review is intended to help the reader decipher what looks like an overly complicated book. Read this review while looking at the book's table of contents. Step 1: Read the Prelimary Remarks found at the beginning of Book 4 Part 1 Mysticism. This is Crowley's major thesis for the book. His thesis is one of the most profound in the history of Religion. Step 2: Read Liber E and Liber O found in Appendix 7. Immediately undertake the practices discussed in these two libers. At least begin doing the Diary and Asana sections from Liber E and the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram from Liber O. Also recommended is a practice called Resh, which is found in Liber Resh in Appendix 7. The Ritual of the Pentagram and Resh both involve memorization, of words and movement. It will take a couple of weeks to get comfortable. Be patient and don't be too hard on yourself. Optional Step: Read the book from the beginning starting with the Editor's Introduction. If you get 5 pages in and are bored, skip it. Step 3: After beginning to put Liber E and Liber O into practice begin reading Part 1 Mysticism. This section will give you insight into the meditation practices of Crowley's system. Take notes. It will elaborate on questions you may have concerning instructions found in Liber E, and also Liber RV and Liber Jugorum (two important books both found in Appendix 7). Optional Step: There is a student reading list found at the end of Part 1 Mysticism. I suggest that you begin to get familiar with at least one or two of the works found here. They are all important. The hard work and study that you put into the works on this list will be repaid exponentially. A sufficient beginning would be The Equinox, 777, and the Eliphas Levi book. Step 4: Read Part 2 Magick (Elementary Theory). By giving descriptions of the furniture found in the temple, Crowley gives you information on not only what is necessary for a physical temple; he also talks about what is necessary for your inner temple. This book is as much about the physical temple as it is about the mental and spiritual temple found within each of us. If this section becomes boring, just think of it as a kind of discourse on ethics and ontology, Crowley style. Take notes. Step 5: Before going on to Part 3 Magick in Theory and Practice, you must read Liber AL aka the Book of the Law if you haven't already. This book is the cornerstone of Crowley's philosophy of Thelema. The Book of the Law can be found in Part 4. This section contains a photocopy of the original handwritten Book of the Law, Liber 31 or XXXI. This is the original document written down by Crowley in 1904. Also in this section is a typed print copy, Liber 220 or CCXX. I recommend reading the typed print copy Liber 220. Crowley's handwriting is very difficult to read. The handwritten copy becomes valuable once you begin to memorize the Book of the Law. Step 6: At this stage before reading Magick in Theory and Practice, I also recommend reading One Star in Sight. This can be found in Appendix 2. It gives you an overview of the A.'.A.'. training system. The reason why Crowley will be important for hundreds of years in the future is because no teacher has amassed such a beautiful system of instruction, and that system is called A.'.A.'.. Luckily most of the fundamental A.'.A.'. instructions are found in this book and another book called Gems from the Equinox. Step 7: Now you are ready to begin reading Part 3 Magick in Theory and Practice. It's a challenging read. But given time and study, it is an incredible book. Take notes. Write about insights in your diary. In my years of reading, and rereading, and studying different books, no other book presents such startling new insights for each reading. Be sure to record new insights in your diary each time you read it. It's truly a magical book. Optional Step: Highly recommended for beginners is Bill Heidrick's Study Guide for Magick in Theory and Practice. Google it and it will come up. Heidrick gives you a brief outline of the contents of each chapter and some information on the rituals in the appendices. Read Magick Book 4 at your own pace. Don't rush through it. When you are ready to expand your Crowley library, I recommend 3 books. First is Eight Lectures on Yoga. This book elaborates on Part 1 Mysticism. Secondly I recommend Magick Without Tears. This book fleshes out the system of magic that Crowley teaches. It's the last book written by Crowley, and it comments on nearly everything that came before. Third is Gems from the Equinox. This book is a compilation of material like Book 4. Gems from the Equinox is a good substitute for the Equinox set of books. It has most of the essential A.'.A.'. material that is left out of Book 4. After you've tackled these books and you're farther along in the system, read Book of Thoth. In terms of A.'.A.'. philosophy/theory the Book of Thoth is just as important as Magick In Theory and Practice. Crowley hid his last remaining secrets (those that he hadn't yet published) inside the Book of Thoth i.e. the IX° and the XI° of OTO. Resist becoming obsessed by these secrets. You will end up wasting your time. Let the truth hit you like lightning. True initiation is realization; being told an eternal truth directly is casting pearls before swine. Crowley thought his secret was important because of the shocking conflicts in history between true Christianity and the Christianity of the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Always remember that the Kingdom of God is within you. If you know the IX° then you know the XI°. They are just different recipes requiring specific ingredients. You'll find these recipes symbolically exposed in Liber 15 which is the Gnostic Mass (found in appendix 6 of Book 4). Just remember that the Gnostic Mass specifically concerns the IX°. The fully realized truth of these practices can change your life, but then again all of this stuff can. There's so much more to Crowley than the physical expression of these secrets. Keep up your practices and your diary as you see fit. I particularly recommend doing Resh daily. Read Magick in Theory and Practice once every 3 or 4 years. The book and it's insights change as you change. Good luck!

This giant text book, and it is a textbook is a big brick of meaning. The first three books have been painstakingly enhanced from the origionals being now a more accurate version - added onto it is the book of the holy papers edited at the beginnings of the Order, originally edited by Wasserman, I think - then extras upon extras. Also the book of the law and the handwritten version with commentary and still more extras - I'm glad it was finally was put together with the 4th book making book 4 literally 4 books - actually its more like 5 and so much extra essential stuff that it could have easily been broken up, but it was already - now its bound together, corrected, enhanced. A ribbon is included even though its the kind of book to be loaded with bookmarks and post-its eventually, but I like the ribbon. I remember the late Kenneth Anger holding up a copy of the very same book at a giant lecture at the Disinformation Conference in 2000 in front of hundreds of people and a video crew taping saying, this is the book, it's all in here, or something very much like that, I forget, but that image of him holding it up like a Bible made me want to get it years ago and it was always sold out wherever I looked until recently, I guess back by popular demand - it's the ultimate primer for the beginner into an advanced course as the original was in three books usually separated because of this - then it's the manifesti and history put down on paper long ago as the guidelines - it is also the holy books and the book of the law - its a reference book for everyday use and a scholar's manual - it is the history of the Order and it's core text. I think the editor did an impressive job. It is packed, jammed full of everything you could think of that should be there. I would like to thank him for putting it all in one place. I recommend this book for firstly, the Brethren to remind them of where it all came from and because of the great job on the book, also to the scholar of magick, and to the wise. It's not a time capsule, it's as relevant as it ever was because of Crowley and Hymeneaus Beta's genius.

Love is the law, love under will. The greatest tome on magick ever created. If you are eager to find enlightenment, to converse with your Holy Guardian Angel, to become more than a simple human and contribute to the Great Work—this is the key. There is no law beyond Do what thou wilt.

Sometime in the future, perhaps in the next 100 years, AC's seminal work on pre-computer RPG (role playing games) and LARP (live action role play) will be recognized for the tremendous contribution it has made to literature, theater, and of course RPG and LARP. Only that other brilliant mind, Carlos Castaneda, has even come close, with his theories on "Theater of the Real." (Well there is that dark horse who founded the whole mythology of Thetans and pre-op Thetans, but since he is also known as the One Who Must Not Be Mentioned and since he stole Jack Parsons wife, boat, and money - we won't mention him.) The beautiful thing about the role play under the Crowley system is that you don't need any online participants to play with, and while the other "players" (primitively called "spirits" in the book) can't email back or otherwise work a keyboard, they do have a tendency to kick and squirm in your subconscious and dreams until you exercise them. Or exorcise them, if such is your bent. Remember always that placebos are the one true cure, the summum bonum, but only work when there is absolute belief in their efficacy. How else could the world have seen such an amazing procession of contradictory religions, each which seems, within its own framework and terms, to work? If you want to undertake a serious immersion in the fictional worlds embodied in the meme called "magick," you will need the following books: 1. This one, Magick: Liber ABA in the OTO edition as extensively annotated by Hymenaeus Beta; 2. Gems from the Equinox: Instructions by Aleister Crowley for His Own Magical Order ; 3. The Book of Thoth: A Short Essay on the Tarot of the Egyptians, Being the Equinox Volume III No. V ; 4. Aleister Crowley Thoth Tarot Deck ; 5. The Tree of Life: An Illustrated Study in Magic (or find an un-annotated, and hence easier to read, used Rider edition); 6. The Magick of Aleister Crowley: A Handbook of the Rituals of Thelema ; and 7. Mystical Qabalah . Be aware, before you start, that this is a thankless, lonely, path, which will leave you toothless, threadbare, unloved, suffering from halitosis and flatulence, suffering dreams populated with minor imps and major demons. Or, married to a fat hippie chick who wishes you were Pagan instead. More practically, if you decide to carry Magick: Liber ABA around with you for light reading at your favorite cafe, you will probably need a larger daypack or messenger bag and/or a chiropractor, probably all three.

Liber ABA is simply the foundational work upon which, by careful analysis, the student may be properly introduced to both the fundamental components as well as the more advanced concepts that serve to compose the body of knowledge that is known to the learned as Magick. Between the covers of this masterpiece lie an immensely lucid treatise on Yoga, which clearly demonstrates the relationship between Yogic practices and the aim of the Thelemite, as well as comprehensive writings on both the symbolic nature and ritualistic utility of various magical tools. In addition, both the Book of the Law and the theoretical structure of Magick are outlined in such a way as to provide an entry point for the serious student into the arcane reality of the universe and the Magical Will, as understood by the Enlightened. This work is one that could have only been composed by a few. Note, however, that this work is only for the true aspirant and does require the utmost attention; do not be fooled into thinking that knowledge of the arcane is simply handed to the profane. 93.

Book 4 is what I consider Crowley’s magnum opus. These were always meant to be one book, but only within the past couple decades has this manifested. Absolute requirement in my opinion for any Thelemic magician. It even has one of the best inventions in bookmaking: RIBBON BOOKMARK SEWN IN!!! I have a weakness to those, highly useful. Due to its heft (over 800 pages!), can be used to knock out home intruders. 93

I owned this book once before, but somehow it got away from me. This is the newest edition out. I loved the cover art and the excellent editorial. The material is very detailed info by Crowley on achieving the godhead or uniting the microcosm(Man) with the macrocosm(the Universe), achieving knowledge and conversation with your "holy guardian angel", in the Christian religion it is equivalent to being saved (becoming one with God). Most religions work the same way they just use different words and definitions. Crowley is not for the beginner, especially this book. It is very intense and intricate which can be extremely hard to understand. The editor notes and introduction will help the beginner tremendously, but this is an advanced book. Quality of the book is very nice and durable. Very satisfied with this second revised edition, printed in 2012. A must for any student of the O.T.O or "The Great White Brotherhood." Frater Aur

"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law." This oft-misunderstood phrase, which forms the basis for Crowley's practice of Magick, is found in The Book of the Law. Prachtwerk voor wie de mystiek wil doorgronden en / of beoefenen .

This edition has a great quality. Hard cover with a nice design, full of notes and glossary, etc. Is worth to have it for anyone who is interested in Thelema. Besides the book 4 in itself it has lots of rituals and oficial instructions in the appendices. I recommend.

Un magnifique ouvrage d'une qualité indéniable que tout étudiant dans l'occultisme se doit d'acquérir. Je l'ai réceptionné dans un état impeccable malgré l'emballage "lettre de poste"

A must all practioners of Aleister Magick.

The delivery was super fast and the book was in great shape. Cant wait to start reading!!!! It was a pleasure to shop with you.