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One Truth and One Spirit: Aleister Crowley’s Spiritual Legacy
Based upon academic research at the University of Amsterdam's Center for the History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents, One Truth and One Spirit is a much-needed work that covers a previously unexplored history of the modern religious movement known as Thelema. This work details the theoretical framework of Aleister Crowley's spiritual legacy in the O.T.O. and the A?A? and covers the years of Thelema since Crowley's death in 1947. One Truth and One Spirit approaches a complex topic with a complex history, with exhaustive citations and sources, but it is written for anyone interested in the subject of Thelema. The author utilizes published source material as well as previously unavailable information, which makes this a unique contribution to the available literature. One Truth and One Spirit is expected to be of interest to the novice, the scholar, and the seasoned practitioner of Thelema. The work provides a general historical overview of Thelema from a theoretical vantage point, explores the historical development of the movement from the 1960s to the 1990s, and applies the author's own critical discussions on the topic itself.
436 pages, Hardcover
Published December 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 13, 2019
Keith States in the Introduction that he aims to be accessable to both the scholar and the seeker, and I think he does a fine job of walking the line between the two. This book is written in a very accessable style, while at the same time full of the footnotes and references that let you see for yourself where he got his material and dig deeper if you choose.
The material itself provides a good look at the core of the Thelemic movement, weaving together the various threads into a coherent whole. While not everyone will agree with all of his conclusions, this book helped me to review some of the contentious parts of our history and re-evaluate some of my thoughts and positions on some of these topics while at the same time opening some new directions for thought that I had not considered.
All in all, a very worthwhile read which I would happily recommend to anyone interested in the topic.
The material itself provides a good look at the core of the Thelemic movement, weaving together the various threads into a coherent whole. While not everyone will agree with all of his conclusions, this book helped me to review some of the contentious parts of our history and re-evaluate some of my thoughts and positions on some of these topics while at the same time opening some new directions for thought that I had not considered.
All in all, a very worthwhile read which I would happily recommend to anyone interested in the topic.
April 10, 2019
This review originally appeared on The Magical Buffet website on 04/10/2019.
Early on in my interest in magic and religion I was given the advice to steer clear of Aleister Crowley. Essentially that he, and his work, was not for beginners or dabblers. Since I am nothing if not a dabbler, I have basically remained mostly ignorant of Crowley and Thelema. I can say that “One Truth and One Spirit: Aleister Crowley’s Spiritual Legacy” by Keith Readdy has changed all that.
Readdy approaches Thelema as a new religious movement, which may seem odd to those of us on the outside looking in, but he lays out a compelling argument for its inclusion as one. And as with all new religious movements, things always getting interesting after the passing of its founder, since this is when you learn if a religion is sustainable. That’s why “One Truth and One Spirit” focuses on the years following Crowley’s death in 1947.
Readdy quite adeptly summarizes Crowley’s Thelema in enough detail for the novice such as myself without getting too bogged down as to become tedious, particularly for those versed in the practice. He outlines the framework for the O.T.O and AA (two intertwined, sister organizations within Thelema). Readdy also takes on the daunting task of trying outline the succession and evolution of the O.T.O. and AA following Crowley’s death. He utilizes a myriad of sources including some previously unavailable to the public.
It should be noted that Readdy is a member of the O.T.O. The author makes it clear when he is expressing his opinion, and overall, I feel he offers a balanced look at the subject matter. Of course, those involved with the organizations may feel differently.
“One Truth and One Spirit” by Keith Readdy is an excellent introduction to Aleister Crowley, Thelema, the associated organizations, and their past and future.
Early on in my interest in magic and religion I was given the advice to steer clear of Aleister Crowley. Essentially that he, and his work, was not for beginners or dabblers. Since I am nothing if not a dabbler, I have basically remained mostly ignorant of Crowley and Thelema. I can say that “One Truth and One Spirit: Aleister Crowley’s Spiritual Legacy” by Keith Readdy has changed all that.
Readdy approaches Thelema as a new religious movement, which may seem odd to those of us on the outside looking in, but he lays out a compelling argument for its inclusion as one. And as with all new religious movements, things always getting interesting after the passing of its founder, since this is when you learn if a religion is sustainable. That’s why “One Truth and One Spirit” focuses on the years following Crowley’s death in 1947.
Readdy quite adeptly summarizes Crowley’s Thelema in enough detail for the novice such as myself without getting too bogged down as to become tedious, particularly for those versed in the practice. He outlines the framework for the O.T.O and AA (two intertwined, sister organizations within Thelema). Readdy also takes on the daunting task of trying outline the succession and evolution of the O.T.O. and AA following Crowley’s death. He utilizes a myriad of sources including some previously unavailable to the public.
It should be noted that Readdy is a member of the O.T.O. The author makes it clear when he is expressing his opinion, and overall, I feel he offers a balanced look at the subject matter. Of course, those involved with the organizations may feel differently.
“One Truth and One Spirit” by Keith Readdy is an excellent introduction to Aleister Crowley, Thelema, the associated organizations, and their past and future.
December 21, 2024
A well researched look at one of the most important figures in modern occultism. The book gets a lot of info from private letters and sources not available to the public, which was very cool to see. I wish the author had maintained a more neutral tone, there are a lot of instances where he justifies behavior for one person while condemning or insulting another person. I don't think it proves anything about who does or doesn't have legitimate claim to a tradition, but it's worth reading if you're curious about the impact Crowley had on a modern spiritual movement.
Did anyone else keep track of how many times the author used "Fin de siècle" instead of just saying "late 1800s" ? I counted 4.
Did anyone else keep track of how many times the author used "Fin de siècle" instead of just saying "late 1800s" ? I counted 4.
June 13, 2020
A good history of Thelema especially in America.
September 19, 2022
Well researched and reasoned and makes a strong case for caliphate orthodoxy. But have you seen the Student Test? A little displaced simony seems like a more merciful form of gatekeeping to me.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews