The Way of Deep Magick: Aleister Crowley, Simon Iff and the New Aeon

An exploration of the art of magic and qabalistic psychology as practiced by Aleister Crowley, through the lens of the authors W E Butler and Tom Oloman.

Aleister Crowley is one of the best known figures in Western Occultism, but books about him tend to focus on his life and personality, either idealising or demonising him.

In this groundbreaking book, established author of the occult Ian Rees focuses instead on Crowley’s practice of magick, tracing its roots back to ancient Egypt, and considering his radical simplification of the Qabalah, called the Naples Arrangement. Rees also explores the ways in which Crowley brought teaching from Buddhism, Taoism and Advaita Vedanta into western practice.

Particular attention is given to Crowley’s novel Moonchild, which is at its core a guide to the practice of deep magick and introduces readers to the figure of Simon Iff, who is Crowley’s image of the Master Magickian.

The Way of Deep Magick explores Crowley’s inspirational works TheBook of the Law and The Holy Books, unearthing the magical formulae found within them. It also looks at Crowley’s central practice of the Mass of the Holy Ghost. These works are linked to the traditions of the Divine Name and the ancient tradition of the Tree and the Fountain, the Moon and the Mountain.

Central to the book is the communion with the mysterious presence of the Holy Guardian Angel which leads us through the reactive and restrictive patterns of the past; establishes us in pure presence; and enables us to bridge between dualistic existence and the experience of non-dual states of consciousness which unite Love, Will and the simple and direct experience of Being.

The book concludes by considering the mystery of embodying the generative star of will and uniting with and being upheld by the serpent of deep imagination; or in other words becoming the Servant of the Star and Snake.

Ian Rees is a psycho-spiritual psychotherapist practicing in Glastonbury, Somerset, UK. He has been a therapist for twenty years and spent ten years before that working in probation work and social work. He designed MA programs and taught at the Karuna Institute in Devon from 1999 to 2009. Since 2009 he has concentrated on developing and presenting workshops for the Annwn Foundation.