Editing Thelema (section)

==Practice==
{{main|Great Work (Thelema)}}

The core of Thelemic thought is "Do what thou wilt". However, beyond this, there exists a wide range of interpretation of Thelema. Modern Thelema is a syncretic philosophy and religion,{{sfnp|Rabinovitch|Lewis|2004|pp=267&ndash;270}} and many Thelemites try to avoid strongly dogmatic thinking.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}} Crowley emphasized that each individual should follow their own inherent "[[True Will]]", rather than blindly following his teachings, saying he did not wish to found a flock of sheep.{{sfnp|Crowley|1979|loc=ch. 66}} Thus, contemporary Thelemites may practice more than one religion, including [[Wicca]], [[Gnosticism]], [[Satanism]], [[Setianism]] and [[Luciferianism]].{{sfnp|Rabinovitch|Lewis|2004|pp=267&ndash;270}} Many adherents of Thelema recognize correlations between Thelemic and other systems of spiritual thought; most borrow freely from the methods and practices of other traditions, including [[alchemy]], [[astrology]], [[qabalah]], [[tantra]], [[tarot divination]] and [[yoga]].{{sfnp|Rabinovitch|Lewis|2004|pp=267&ndash;270}} For example, [[Nuit|Nu]] and [[Hadit|Had]] are thought to correspond with the [[Tao]] and [[De (Chinese)|Teh]] of [[Taoism]], [[Shakti]] and [[Shiva]] of the Hindu [[Tantra]]s, [[Shunyata]] and [[Bodhicitta]] of [[Buddhism]], [[Ein Sof (Kabbalah)|Ain Soph]] and [[Kether]] in the [[Hermetic Qabalah]].{{sfnp|Orpheus|2005|pp=124, 131}}{{sfnp|Suster|1988|loc=p. 184 for Nuit and Tao, p. 188 for Hadit, Kether and Tao Teh, p. 146 & 150 for link to Tantra}}

===Magick===
{{Main|Ceremonial magic}}
[[File:Tree of life wk 02.svg|upright|thumb|The [[Tree of life (Kabbalah)|Tree of Life]], important in the magical order [[A∴A∴]] as the degrees of advancement in are related to it]]
Thelemic magick is a system of physical, mental, and spiritual exercises which practitioners believe are of benefit.<ref>DuQuette, Lon Milo, quoted in {{harvp|Orpheus|2005|p=1}}.</ref> Crowley defined magick as "the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will",{{sfnp|Crowley|1997|loc=Introduction to Part III}} and spelled it with a 'k' to distinguish it from stage magic. He recommended magick as a means for discovering the [[True Will]].{{sfnp|Gardner|2004|p=86}} Generally, magical practices in Thelema are designed to assist in finding and manifesting the True Will, although some include celebratory aspects as well.{{sfnp|DuQuette|1993|p={{page needed|date=November 2021}}}} Crowley believed that after discovering the True Will, the magician must also remove any elements of himself that stand in the way of its success.{{sfnp|Crowley|1997|p={{page needed|date=November 2021}}}}

Crowley was a prolific writer, integrating Eastern practices with Western magical practices from the [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn]].{{sfnp|Pearson|2002|p=44}} He recommended a number of these practices to his followers, including: basic [[yoga]] ([[asana]] and [[pranayama]]);{{sfnp|Orpheus|2005|pp=9–16, 45–52}} rituals of his own devising or based on those of the Golden Dawn, such as the [[lesser ritual of the pentagram]], for banishing and invocation;{{sfnp|DuQuette|1993|p={{page needed|date=November 2021}}}} ''[[Liber Samekh]]'', a ritual for the invocation of the [[Holy Guardian Angel]];{{sfnp|DuQuette|1993|p={{page needed|date=November 2021}}}} [[Ceremonial magic#Eucharist|eucharistic rituals]] such as the ''[[Liber XV, The Gnostic Mass|Gnostic Mass]]'' and ''The Mass of the Phoenix'';{{sfnp|DuQuette|1993|p={{page needed|date=November 2021}}}} and ''[[Liber Resh]]'', consisting of four daily adorations to the sun.{{sfnp|DuQuette|1993|p={{page needed|date=November 2021}}}} He also discussed [[sex magic]]k and sexual gnosis in various forms involving [[masturbation]] and [[sexual intercourse]] between heterosexual and homosexual partners; practices which are among his suggestions for those in the higher degrees of [[Ordo Templi Orientis]].{{sfnp|Urban|2006|p={{page needed|date=November 2021}}}}

One goal in the study of Thelema within the magical Order of the A∴A∴ is for the magician to obtain the knowledge and conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel: conscious communication with their own personal [[daimon]], thus gaining knowledge of their True Will.{{sfnp|Whitcomb|1993|p=51}} The chief task for one who has achieved this goes by the name of "crossing the [[Abyss (Thelema)|abyss]]";{{sfnp|Whitcomb|1993|p=483}} completely relinquishing the ego.  If the aspirant is unprepared, he will cling to the ego instead, becoming a Black Brother. According to Crowley, the Black Brother slowly disintegrates, while preying on others for his own self-aggrandisement.{{sfnp|Cavendish|1977|p=130}}

Crowley taught [[scepticism|skeptical]] examination of all results obtained through [[meditation]] or magick, at least for the student.{{sfnp|Crowley|1976b|loc=''Liber O'', I:2-5}} He tied this to the necessity of keeping a [[Magick#Magical record|magical record]] or diary, that attempts to list all conditions of the event.{{sfnp|Crowley|1976b|loc=''Liber E vel Exercitiorum'', section I}} Remarking on the similarity of statements made by spiritually advanced people of their experiences, he said that fifty years from his time they would have a scientific name based on "an understanding of the phenomenon" to replace such terms as "spiritual" or "supernatural". Crowley stated that his work and that of his followers used "the method of science; the aim of religion",{{sfnp|Crowley|1997|loc=Part I}} and that the genuine powers of the magician could in some way be objectively tested. This idea has been taken on by later practitioners of Thelema.  They may consider that they are testing hypotheses with each magical experiment. The difficulty lies in the broadness of their definition of success,{{sfnp|Luhrmann|1991|p=24}} in which they may see as evidence of success things which a non-magician would not define as such, leading to [[confirmation bias]]. Crowley believed he could demonstrate, by his own example, the effectiveness of magick in producing certain subjective experiences that do not ordinarily result from taking [[hashish]], enjoying oneself in Paris, or walking through the [[Sahara]] desert.{{sfnp|Crowley|1909|loc=entries for 2.5 and 2.22 on the Eleventh Day}} It is not strictly necessary to practice ritual techniques to be a Thelemite, as due to the focus of Thelemic magick on the True Will, Crowley stated "every intentional act is a magickal act."{{sfnp|Kraig|1988|p=9}}

===Gnostic Mass===
{{main|Liber XV, The Gnostic Mass}}

Crowley wrote 'The Gnostic Mass'&nbsp;— technically called ''Liber XV'' or "''Book 15''"&nbsp;— in 1913 while travelling in [[Moscow|Moscow, Russia]]. The structure is similar to the Mass of the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] and [[Roman Catholic Church]], communicating the principles of Thelema. It is the central rite of [[Ordo Templi Orientis]] and its ecclesiastical arm, [[Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica]].{{sfnp|Tau Apiryon|2010}}

===Holidays===
{{further|Thelemic date}}
The [[Book of the Law]] gives several holy days to be observed by Thelemites. There are no established or dogmatic ways to celebrate these days, so as a result Thelemites will often take to their own devices or celebrate in groups, especially within [[Ordo Templi Orientis]]. These holy days are usually observed on the following dates:{{sfnp|Schubert|2020}}

* March 20. ''The Feast of the Supreme Ritual'', which celebrates the Invocation of Horus, the ritual performed by Crowley on this date in 1904 that inaugurated the New Aeon.
* March 20/March 21. The ''Equinox of the Gods'', which is commonly referred to as the ''Thelemic New Year'' (although some celebrate the New Year on April 8). Although the [[equinox]] and the Invocation of Horus often fall on the same day, they are often treated as two different events. This date is the Autumnal equinox in the Southern Hemisphere.
* April 8 through April 10. ''The Feast of the Three Days of the Writing of the Book of the Law.'' These three days are commemorative of the three days in the year 1904 during which Aleister Crowley wrote ''The Book of the Law''. One chapter was written each day, the first being written on April 8, the second on April 9, and the third on April 10. Although there is no official way of celebrating any Thelemic holiday, this particular feast day is usually celebrated by reading the corresponding chapter on each of the three days, usually at noon.
* June 20/June 21. The ''[[Summer solstice]]'' in the Northern Hemisphere and the [[Winter solstice]] in the Southern Hemisphere.
* August 12. ''The Feast of the Prophet and His Bride.'' This holiday commemorates the marriage of Aleister Crowley and his first wife [[Rose Edith Crowley]]. Rose was a key figure in the writing of ''The Book of the Law''.
* September 22/September 23. The ''[[Autumn equinox (Northern Hemisphere)|Autumnal equinox]]'' in the Northern Hemisphere and the Vernal Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere.
* December 21/December 22. The ''[[Winter solstice]]'' in the Northern Hemisphere and the Summer Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere.
* ''The Feast for Life'', celebrated at the birth of a Thelemite and on birthdays.
* ''The Feast for Fire/The Feast for Water''. These feast days are usually taken as being when a child hits puberty and steps unto the path of adulthood. The Feast for Fire is celebrated for a male, and the Feast for Water for a female.
* ''The Feast for Death'', celebrated on the death of a Thelemite and on the anniversary of their death. Crowley's Death is celebrated on December 1.

===Greetings===
{{anchor|93}}<!--[[93 (Thelema)]] redirects here-->
The number '''93''' is of great significance in Thelema.{{sfnp|Skinner|1996|p=79}} The central philosophy of Thelema is in two phrases from Liber AL: "do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law" and "love is the law, love under will". Crowley urged their use in everyday communications, and himself used them to greet people.{{sfnp|Campbell|2018|loc=ch. 3}} Today, rather than using the full phrases, Thelemites often use [[Numerology|numerological]] abbreviations to shorten these greeting in informal contexts, a practice Crowley also applied in his informal written correspondences.{{sfnp|Campbell|2018|loc=ch. 3}} The two primary terms in these statements are 'will' and 'love', respectively. Using the Greek technique of [[isopsephy]], which applies a numerical value to each letter, the letters of words ''thelema'' ('will') and ''[[agape]]'' ('love') each sum to 93:

* Thelema: {{lang|el|Θελημα}} = 9 + 5 + 30 + 8 + 40 + 1 = 93
* Agapé: {{lang|el|Αγαπη}} = 1 + 3 + 1 + 80 + 8 = 93

In this way, the first phrase is abbreviated to "93" while the second is abbreviated to "93 93/93", with the division "93/93" symbolizing love "under" will.{{sfnp|Campbell|2018|loc=ch. 3}}