Magick Without Tears

by Aleister Crowley

Paperback. 13,50 / 21.00 cm. in English 295 p. "...What is Magick? Why should anyone study and practice it? Very natural; the obvious preliminary questions of any subject soever. We must certainly get all this crystal clear; fear not that I shall fail to set forth the whole business as concisely as possible yet as fully, as cogently yet as lucidly, as may prove within my power to do. At least I need not waste any time on telling you what Magick is not; or to go into the story of how the word came to be misapplied to conjuring tricks, and to sham miracles such as are to this day foisted by charlatan swindlers, either within or without the Roman Communion, upon a gaping crew of pious imbeciles. First let me go all Euclidean, and rub your nose in the Definition, Postulate and Theorems given in my comprehensive (but, alas! too advanced and too technical) Treatise on the subject. Here we are!..."

Genres: Occult, Magick, Thelema, Nonfiction, Magic, Spirituality, Religion

295 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1954

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

[Fredstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is among the most comprehensive introductions to magickal theory ever written. Caveat emptor, Crowley makes it quite easy to spiral into his system, Thelema, at the exclusion of the traditional Western paths, i.e. the Golden Dawn, (from which Crowley emerged). It’s good to read other authors along with Crowley to gain a holistic understanding of the Western paradigm. That being said, this book in conjunction with Book 4, is a pretty thorough introduction to the principles of ceremonial magick. Liber ABA is an expensive hardcover that contains Book Four, Magick Without Tears, and an explaination of Thelema as well.

However, before one could even think about Practical Qabalah, they should have at least a cursory understanding of Qabalistic theory, and the Tarot. For an introduction to the Qabalah, The Mystical Qabalah, by Dion Fortune is a great start. For the Tarot, The Book of Thoth, by Aleister Crowley, is the best, but like Liber ABA, or Magick Without Tears, may be a bit advanced. The Qabalistic Tarot, by Robert Wang, is a great place to start. By comparing four different decks including the Thoth Deck, it also provides the reader with the changes Crowley made to the traditional attributions and the reasoning behind them. The Book of Tokens, by Paul Foster Case, may also be of assistance.

An online version of Magick Without Tears, can be found here:

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to know what Thelema is, and you want it straight from The Beasts mouth, then this is the book for you. Magick without tears is a collection of over 80 letters between Aleister Crowley and several other students, but to avoid confusion, the recipient is given one name: Cara Soror.
The candidness with which Aleister Crowley writes, makes one wonder why he was so cryptic in most of his other writings.
Oh that's right, because he was learning as he went, and thus the mystery of Aleister Crowley is that he was one of really only a handful of occultists that documented his successes and failures.
He answers questions pertaining to The Book of the Law, The O.T.O., Yoga/meditation, ceremonies and several other topics. The price of the book is among the more costly of his books, but worth it on every level.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone interested in the OTO Outer Head scandal involving Marcelo Motta and Karl Germer and Samuel Weiser should definitely check this book out (if you ever find it). Otherwise Motta's Unexpurgated and Commented version should be online.

[Walter Five · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a marvelous compendium of letters from the pen of arguably the greatest Occultist of the 20th Century, written in the 1940's to various of his beginning and intermediate students. In them Crowley is the soul of brevity and wit, going straight to the point, time and time again, without the blinds, without the double meanings, without cryptic references, without obscure Greek and Latin passages, written in plain English: the private letters of a great Teacher to his inquiring students.

An amazing work, Crowley discusses the principles and practice of various magical disciplines in an easy to understand manner without becoming over-simplistic. He explains many of the pitfalls in the path, and gives details on the "Black Brothers" who fall from the Great Work. Those who seek more specific practical instruction would do well to seek out Crowley's own Magick: Liber ABA (Book 4) and/or Lon Milo Duquette's The Magick of Aleister Crowley: A Handbook of the Rituals of Thelema

This book, and the The Book of Thoth give lie to the myth that in his declining years Crowley was a confused and bitter old man in his dotage: these two works both illustrate that Crowley's mind was as sharp as it ever was, and that his grasp of the Mysteries had deepened as his admittedly acerbic character mellowed in his old age.

It makes no matter if you are a student of the Golden Dawn, the O.T.O., the Servants of Light, the Builders of the Atydium, or the A.'.A.'., if Qabbalistic Hermeticism is your cup of tea, you'll find much to quench your thirst for knowledge with this volume. My only criticism with this particular edition is that Mr. Regardie edited over 300 pages of material included in the 1954 1st edition. Be aware that there exists a two-volume edition of this book, published about 30 years ago-- that edition is unexpurgated and heavily commented on by Marcello Motta, but the second volume of the set is devilishly tricky to find.

[The Elves · Rating 5 out of 5]

the title alone...
dear conjurers,
... nearly makes this book worthwhile. In the form of a series of letters in response to a Sister of the Order, Crowley tells us much and in detail of various aspect of magic and the occult. It is a truly worthy book. However, the copy we had from New Falcon Publications, had a collating error so about 20-30 pages or so in the earlier part of the book appeared again and replaced a section later in the book. So you might wish to check with your seller to see if this is the case. Nonetheless, even with that difficulty, which was a bit frustrating, we thoroughly enjoyed this book and were glad we read it, and if it hadn't been for that error would probably have kept the book instead of trading it back in to the used bookstore from which we had purchased it.

kyela,
the silver elves
authors of books on elven magic and enchantment, including Ruminations on Necromancy

[Koyote the Blind · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a most valuable tome that shows Crowley's mature thought, helping the reader navigate his previous work on Magick and Yoga. Clear and concise, it provides the key that opens the lock to understanding of the titanic opus he authored.

[Gaze Santos · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the final book which Aleister Crowley actually oversaw publication for, although it did not officially get published until after his death. This book proves that Crowley was still very lucid even up to his final years. The ideas for the book came about as he was giving magickal classes through correspondence. The book also represented for Crowley another chance to teach the basics of magick in layman's term, so that anyone could pick it up and understand. Something that he endeavoured to do all the way back with Book 4, but was arguably not wholly successful. Originally titled "Aleister Explains All" he relied on his pen pals to ask him questions, to which he would provide answers for. These answers have been collected and are presented in their original epistolary form in this book. Aleister's letters are often informal and down to Earth and show us that his mind was still very sharp even into his autumn years. My main gripe is that the book very much focuses on the Theory and Philosophy of Magick, and very little into practical matters. Also, the arrangement of the letters is quite random, with little flow between the letters themselves. Luckily, later editions do include an index of sorts, but it still makes searching for specific quotes a little difficult. The format of the book, at least for me, also made it difficult for me to read like a regular book. And Isreal Regardie, who wrote the introduction to this edition of the book, also admits as much and recommends we peruse the book at random, reading bits of it here and there. Not as essential as I was first led to believe, it was still one of Crowley's most accessible books, and would not be a bad place to start for a beginner. Those seeking deeper insights and more practical technique are advised to look elsewhere.

[Louhikärmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me four months to read this, every time my toddler took a nap in my lap. Explaining things to students in letters, it's said to be Crowley's most accessible work and most often recommended as the best starting point to his philosophy. Indeed, during the reading my idea of Crowley changed quite a lot from "what a smug brick" to considering him actually quite funny and most certainly highly sophisticated. To this one I'm going to continue to his magnum opus Liber ABA i.e. Book 4.

[Dian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know there are parts of this book that some people really do not care for but I found it very illuminating. Sure there is always stuff that Crowley writes where he leaves me in the dust, but there were also some very fascinating insights here. I really recommend this one.

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an odd book, full of obscure occult references and ideas, moments of lucidity, and other moments of pure nonsense. It is however entertaining, and is a good place to start reading Crowley, as it sums up a lot of his ideas in one volume. Written as a series of letters to a students, "Cara Soror," it has a very immediate and conversational feeling, and works just as much in a literary sense as in an instructive sense, almost as if it were a fake epistolary novel. Crowley's interests indeed have as much to do with literature as with magick or religion. As one point he even points to Virgil as a supremely magickal writer! This book by a British wag and wit (albeit a "wicked" one), is fun to read if not terribly disciplined in form or content.

[Francesco D'Isa · Rating 3 out of 5]

All words are magical; that's the secret of witchcraft. Brilliant insights and funny delusions on every one out of two pages.
Plot: A correspondence course of magic.
- See more at: http://www.rtbookreviews.com/rt-daily...

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Notable for the insistence of parallels between magic and science.

Acquired Feb 8, 2008
City Lights Book Shop, London, Ontario

[Justin]

Easier to read than most of Crowley's works, still very difficult for me.
I will try to find a more suitable (for me) launch pad into new ways of thought.

[Claudio Yáñez Valenzuela · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Magia sin lágrimas" -aunque irónicamente contradiga su título- es una obra que logra impactar al lector. Crowley, como de costumbre, nos brinda una obra que destila la sabiduría y la experiencia de uno de los ocultistas más influyentes del siglo XX. Este libro se compone de una amplia colección de cartas dirigidas a un estudiante ávido de conocimiento, donde Crowley ofrece una guía accesible y práctica sobre los principios y prácticas de la magia. Con un estilo directo y perspicaz, repleto de citas cultas y abundantes referencias mitológicas, religiosas y mágicas de gran calado, Crowley aborda una amplia gama de temas, desde la meditación y la visualización hasta la ética y la moralidad en la práctica mágica. Lo notable de esta obra es su capacidad para transmitir conceptos complejos de manera clara y comprensible, sin las brumas intencionales que suelen encontrar en otros autores, aunque no siempre resulte fácil de asimilar. Esta cualidad convierte a "Magia sin lágrimas" en una lectura indispensable tanto para aquellos que se inician en el estudio de la magia como para los practicantes más experimentados. Es una obra magistral que sigue siendo relevante y esclarecedora para cualquier persona interesada en explorar los misterios del ocultismo y la magia ceremonial de manera seria e informada, proporcionando una visión de primera mano sobre estos temas fascinantes.

[Chase · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a explanation of Crowley's theories and idea and some explanation of Thelema which were compiled from a series of letters between Crowley and various students. The topics covered are wide ranging and comprise Crowley's own theories and a mix of Qabbalah, Buddhism, Eastern Mysticism and Occultism amongst others. I confess a lot of it was gibberish to me, and I did not agree with a lot of it. But, I did find moments of insight and nuggets of wisdom. The other surprise was the warmth and humour of Crowley himself. Whilst I found some of the discussions really wierd, there was nothing in it that would warrant him being denounced as *the wickedest man alive*

It's worth nothing that the shopkeeper in the secondhand bookstore where I found this was actually frightened of the book :(

[Adonay Quetzal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This really is one of the best starting points for anyone who is interested in the work of Aleister Crowley. Perhaps before this, Book 4 (the small black version) should be read prior and definitely have on hand to refer back to being that Crowley asks that of Cara Soror many times. There are indeed quite a few cringeworthy moments, especially considering todays more socially aware audiences but if one can understand that Crowley was also a product of his time as well as read the letters to the very end, it's easy to understand that these are simply - again - products of their time. Definitely reccomend and if one can, find a physical copy to be able to visit back to time and time again.

[Manuel Jose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Half of it went over my head or was woo woo stuff that I couldn't care less about. Maybe I'm too much of a skeptic to read stuff like this. His descriptions of what magick is and its history are great, but then they're followed by entire sections about levitation or the Tao and these parts are so boring. Some of the letters delve into more grounded topics like women and money and politics. It turns out I don't care in the slightest what Crowley's opinions on any of these topics are and I almost hope the next letter is back to him talking about psuedoscience like astronomy or tarot. The worst part is when he is quoting his own books like "The Vision and the Voice." It's a drag...

[Clancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent exposition of what Magick is and is not.
Covers so many topics that the context is well expanded beyond what you're expecting except for perhaps those who have been involved in esoteric circles and are of sound mind for quite a while already.
Bonus is a vicarious insight into Aleister Crowley the man in his latter years.
Forget the mainstream...from reading this you get the clear picture that his image has been heinously fabricated and manipulated into a grotesque fantasy with the sole intent it would appear, to scare people away from actually knowing the true nature of reality and themselves.
What insidious beings would do such a thing? Oh, you probably did it to yourself :P

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have had an interest in Thelema and Crowley’s work for years. My first esoteric book was Crowley’s Book of Thoth. This book is suggested as an introduction to Thelema, and it did help me to understand the basic concepts of the system better. However, I have some doubts about certain parts of Crowley’s work. While the idea of Thelema seems to be independent thought, there is a certain dogma to the concepts. I prefer traditional material like the Gnostic apocrypha, and I prefer to do independent work. I think this is worth a read if you’re interested in the esoteric, but it isn’t perfect.

[Arthur B · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want to know what Crowley actually believed, well, these letters set out the last systematic outline of it he produced before he died. Whether it's genuinely the no-bullshit guide he presented it as or yet more trolling is unclear. Aesthetically interesting, but even if (like me) you don't believe very much of it. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/202...

[Jessica Baumgartner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crowley is def an interesting case study. He had some enlightening ideas, but also plenty of contradictory ones as well. His hatred of the family unit was highly off-putting, as if his lack of morals. Even so, his meditation principles and scientific understanding of personal power held enough merit to hold my attention through this long series of letters collected and recorded for others.

This is one of the few Crowley books that is not written in code and can be easily understood.

[Gebo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introduction to the topic of magick, thelema, and Crowley in general. Few how to or specific practices are given, but he covers a lot about magickal philosophy, why to study certain things, and simple ways to speed up the process. Wish I’d started with this book years ago, but alas I went the hard way. But as I’m rereading a lot of Crowley, I found this one to be a great introduction to the topics that will encourage you to study more deeply what previously seemed obtuse.

[B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of letters between Crowley and several estranged aspirants (edited and curated to seem as if he is only writing one) often shrills into rambling tangents of seeming madness.

But if one pays close attention, throughout these many ramblings there is an acute enlightenment into the workings of Magick.

[Daniel yarlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

best beginner book for the student that is interested in crowley and thelema , it seems that with age crowley was more mature in his thinking and clear in his ideas, also his general advice is very good.
highly recommended read

[Jett]

DNF about a quarter through. crowleys usual masturbatory language and misogyny was just way too exhausting to get through at this length (especially when hes just saying the same shit just over and over again)

[Julio López · Rating 3 out of 5]

Único libro de Crowley (líber Al no cuenta) que he conseguido acabarme

[Esotericob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aleister Crowley's work is overrated by his followers, but underrated by pretty much everyone else. His work is powerfully original, and covers more ground, in both practical and theoretical spheres, than virtually any other esotericist. He was unafraid of experimentation with sources outside the canon, and clearly had a genuine passion for both creating and clarifying esoteric principles. The major drawback is the man himself: egotistical, disrespectful, and with a bad sense of humor, he's not the type of person one would want to emulate. But if one can set aside the personality, and take his work for what it is, it is incredibly valuable. In Magick Without Tears, Crowley is at his most evocative, his most complex. This is a deep, multilayered work which will offer every careful reader some form of new insight, regardless of how experienced or well-read s/he is.

But this book is deceptively titled. Although anyone can pick up some threads of insight by reading this book, I will have to disagree with many other reviewers who claim that it's a good introduction to Crowley. To the contrary, and I believe the evidence supports this, Magick Without Tears is most certainly NOT the first exposure one should have to Crowley. It contains far too much depth and heavy-duty thinking that could easily overwhelm the neophyte if unprepared. On the surface, Crowley appears to discuss basic, intuitive ideas, illustrated by jokes and wacky metaphors. This approach misleadingly makes the work seem accessible. But the goofy "Uncle Al" persona is itself a joke because Magick Without Tears deals directly with many of the core subjects which are only vaguely alluded to in other Thelemic works. Personally, I found the jokey, cuddly aspect of the writing irritating, and somewhat insulting to the gravity of the subject matter. But that's Crowley, a big meta-joke: "Cover up the heavy duty machinery with comedy! They won't know what hit 'em!" is the attitude. So don't be deceived. This is not just some goofy funhouse thrill ride. It's as serious as Crowley gets in any of his writings.

With all that in mind, Book 4, Liber Aleph (Crowley's greatest work IMO), or even Magick in Theory and Practice would be much better (and more affordable) introductions to Crowley. I don't mean to scare anyone. Magick Without Tears is not some evil, destructive book. But reading it without much experience in the world of western esotericism and philosophy will likely lead to more confusion than enlightenment. It could lead one to feel that one has "charted" the depths of the ocean, so to speak, when in reality one has only "crossed" it. That's an uneasy feeling, and could make one feel that one is in over one's head in some way.

To cap off this review, I'd like to make a plea to esoteric book publishers: PLEASE give this book a new edition! The New Falcon edition is thirty years old, poorly bound, and was clearly never intended to fetch the exorbitant prices that it goes for at present.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first half of Crowley's last book, commented by Motta--if you have this edition, you are quite lucky--is compulsive reading for anyone interested in the occult. Crowley answers letters about various occult topics including astral travel, meditation, God, and whatnot. A lot of the time it seems Crowley is answering the question with a question or beating around the bush with his clever sophistry, or go on a digression promising it will lead to an answer, usually leaving one hungering for more. But as one knows there are no simple answers to these kinds of questions and Crowley does point us in the right direction in the end. One has to put in hard work to get results. What does one expect when this book was published for the public? Motta's comments come off as annoyingly interruptive to Crowley's writing because it cuts off typically in the middle of his paragraphs and sentences in brackets! Not even footnotes or different font. Also, it may seem like he wasn't the biggest fan of jews (though he repeatedly says he admires them), but once you can get over these issues his comments actually do add a lot to Crowley's text, though I'm sure Crowley would not have wholly approved of this edition, it will become evident to the non naive reader that Regardie's edition is a deliberate distortion. Motta's edition shows why Regardie cut what he did and has a history, albeit short, of the O.T.O. In the end you will thank Motta for illuminating many of Crowley's cryptic responses. I will have to read a pdf of this online when I reread because I fear of harming my moderately rare Motta edition of Magick Without Tears! It did cost me a pretty penny... Highly recommended!

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best introduction to Crowley's thinking about Magick, certainly the easiest to get into. The book is based on a letter exchange that he did with a fairly beginner student. Each letter or essay covers one topic almost exclusively, and there are ~50 of them.

All very succinctly written and to the point. Highly recommended for anyone interested in Magick, Metaphysics, Paganism, Ritual, and other, whether interested in Thelema or not.

[Allyssa]

Upon reading Nichols' Iowa, wherein the world becomes a giant bookfair where the font is too small, I decided to become a satanist.