Konx Om Pax: Essays in Light

by Aleister Crowley

The first facsimile edition of this masterwork of Hermeticism and Magick, described by its author as "the most remarkable book on the Mystic Path ever written." It has long been treasured by students and collectors in its first edition of 1907. Crowley poured his occult knowledge, particularly that which he learned in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, into the four essays contained therein. It is an essential work for all students of the Golden Dawn and Magick.

Genres: Thelema, Occult, Magick, Magic, Spirituality, Philosophy, Poetry

108 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1907

About the author

Aleister Crowley was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, novelist, mountaineer, and painter. He founded the religion of Thelema, proclaiming himself as the prophet destined to guide humanity into the Æon of Horus in the early 20th century. A prolific writer, Crowley published extensively throughout his life.
Born Edward Alexander Crowley in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, he was raised in a wealthy family adhering to the fundamentalist Christian Plymouth Brethren faith. Crowley rejected his religious upbringing, developing an interest in Western esotericism. He attended Trinity College, Cambridge, focusing on mountaineering and poetry, and published several works during this period. In 1898, he joined the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, receiving training in ceremonial magic from Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers and Allan Bennett. His travels took him to Mexico for mountaineering with Oscar Eckenstein and to India, where he studied Hindu and Buddhist practices.
In 1904, during a honeymoon in Cairo with his wife Rose Edith Kelly, Crowley claimed to have received "The Book of the Law" from a supernatural entity named Aiwass. This text became the foundation of Thelema, announcing the onset of the Æon of Horus and introducing the central tenet: "Do what thou wilt." Crowley emphasized that individuals should align with their True Will through ceremonial magic.
After an unsuccessful expedition to Kanchenjunga in 1905 and further travels in India and China, Crowley returned to Britain. There, he co-founded the esoteric order A∴A∴ with George Cecil Jones in 1907 to promote Thelema. In 1912, he joined the Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), eventually leading its British branch and reformulating it according to Thelemic principles. Crowley spent World War I in the United States, engaging in painting and writing pro-German propaganda, which biographers later suggested was a cover for British intelligence activities.
In 1920, Crowley established the Abbey of Thelema, a religious commune in Cefalù, Sicily. His libertine lifestyle attracted negative attention from the British press, leading to his expulsion by the Italian government in 1923. He spent subsequent years in France, Germany, and England, continuing to promote Thelema until his death in 1947.
Crowley's notoriety stemmed from his recreational drug use, bisexuality, and criticism of societal norms. Despite controversy, he significantly influenced Western esotericism and the 1960s counterculture, and remains a central figure in Thelema.

Reviews

[teacupsandunicorns · Rating 2 out of 5]

What did I just read

Purposefully vague and dense and difficult.

Tao and socialism and Satan and Christianity…..then the socialist hangs himself when he sees god. Ok.

I mean. I can appreciate some of the ideas here. But my goodness. I would have rather him say stuff straight forward rather than waste my time with all this poetry and allegory and stories and metaphors.

Yeah yeah, we exist as both spiritual and in the material. Prayer and god won’t save you if you don’t act for yourself.

People in power are often corrupt and hurt those underneath their power. People in power will hurt others and feel entitled to hurting them or even act like they’re the victim and will NOT have a guilty conscience.

You gotta look out for yourself and not be so full of love and empathy that you’re a doormat. There is no moral or goodness in being a victim or a doormat and being passive.

I GET IT. and maybe the whole point is the journey and not the answer (die when he sees god) but ughhhhh why torture me with the stories and poetry. Just tell me and I’ll think about it myself.

[Adonay Quetzal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay so I know this is like A.’.A.’. reading material and supposed to be a classic of Crowley’s but like, damn did some of these stories just not fit the vibe!

Let me explain. I absolutely fell in love with “The Wake World.” Like not only is it a beautiful description of Qabalistic pathworking but the tone is incredibly whimsical, the story telling is some of Crowley’s best, and ugh I can’t even explain just how much it made me feel and desire and crave. Like Crowley takes the voice of a girl who moves from childhood to adepthood and he embodies this perfectly! Probably my favorite book/novel by him ever.

But then we get to “Ali Sloper” and the tone is so different it was just jarring and flat and not anything like “The Wake World.” Had maybe “Ali Sloper” been placed later in the book I might not have hated it as much but if you think his Simon Iff stories can be a little dry, this will make you wish for a steam bath and some kinderlyte. It was so terribly written and was so different from the previous story, I could hardly try and get the message outta it. I mean, as per usual with Crowley, he eventually says it out right and then beats you over the head with it several times but damn. It’s gonna be awhile before I wanna read this one again.

The rest of the stories were quite fine. “Thien Tao” was good and was able to bring me back into the fold with the last story “The Stone of Abiegnus” being quite pleasant and another good story disguising a good teaching.

So yeah, I bet some folks would say I disliked some of these stories cause I just couldn’t understand what Crowley was trying to saying but tbh, after the beauty of “The Wake World,” the bar got set high and Crowley just didn’t follow up in regards to story telling and writing and it just kinda killed the rest for me 🤷🏽‍♀️

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was between a 3 and 4 star for me. I've been peripherally familiar with Konx Om Pax and read selections, but this was a more thorough dive. The presentation style is a bit antiquated, but the wisdom it contains is invaluable. I found the analysis and essays attached in Marek's edition quite interesting, even at the (relatively small) points where I don't agree (we are Thelemites after all right?). The presentation is quite good in this edition. Konx Om Pax itself has essays of varying accessibility, but for the persistent reader it will reveal priceless gems.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story about the two lovers is amazing.

[Tvrtko Balić · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well this is better The Book of the Law at least. It is way less Satanic and there is something of value here. It is an interesting collection of elements of different religions all thrown together as either just quotes or essays or parables. But it is very disorganized. And what's the point of it? It is either to find wisdom shared in all these religions or to make fun and subvert these religions, Crowley moves back and fort between these attitudes. I am sure not even he himself didn't know the true purpose, either because he was just writing down schizoid ramblings or because his writing came to him in visions. In the end I am just not particularly motivated to spend days that would be needed to decipher all the elements thrown together haphazardly into this text, often not even translated.

[Komanturne · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was amazing.

I did not understand a great portion of it;
however, I greatly enjoyed all of which it was.

one of the greatest critiques of socialism I have ever read;
I especially liked the 'synagogue of satan' section.
I will definitely be using the idea of it in the future.

I am however, not a member of this religion.
that doesn't mean I can't gain anything from it, and the work.

The poetry was amazing
and the writing, whilst not as good, was still great.

[Ann Drax · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF,but v confusing to say the least.

[william m manzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

I found the whole book full of Easter eggs waiting to be found,the hunt continues ,quite sophorific and get pulls you in 😎😎93s

[J. Gonzalez- Blitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collection of essays by Crowley loosely connected by the theme of multi-faceted perceptions of reality, the union of opposites toward pan, etc. The essays themselves work with varying degrees for me, my favorite being "The Wake World", an allegorical tale of Quabbalistic pathworking. The ideas outlined in "Synagogue of Satan" are valuable in personal development, but as a plan for governing a country would be highly impractical, despite it's billing as a "political essay". Not to mention the 1900's era Western Orientalism has not aged well...still, with these essays the main takeaway is the occult philosophy more than the package it's presented in.

[Jen Snider · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gotta love Mr. crowley I know I do :op

[Warren Moeckel]

I bought an earlier edition from a bookseller in New Orleans that a friend led me to; Little Lola Daydream is such a nice character, much like the Beatrix Potter mice.

[Mark Richfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those wicked little mystical volumes that you'll need to reread a few times, forget about it and then one day BAMMM!!!

[Joshua]

Oddly specific, incredibly vague, strange and surreal.