The Equinox

Along with his written works, Aleister Crowley's legacy includes the organization he is (sometimes, falsely) credited with founding, the O.T.O. or Ordo Templi Orientis—The Order of Oriental Templars. This book contains key introductory material to this contemporary occult society, along with a history of the Order after Crowley's death. The format of this edition matches that of the first Equinox series published with Crowley as editor and includes magical instruction, communications to O.T.O. members, information on court cases the in which O.T.O. was been involved in the 1980s, and original works of fiction and poetry. As part of this latter category, this book features an illustrated study of the works of underground filmmaker Kenneth Anger with a complete filmography. It could be argued that Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) anticipated the entire New Age phenomenon with his methods of teaching, codified in the tenets of the O.T.O. and the spiritual system it adopted under his leadership, "Thelema." A rich melange of ritual magic, traditional spiritual practice, drug use, and sex, borrowing from many different cultures and traditions, informed the development of this lasting magical system. Although he's been popularized (and demonized) as "The Beast, 666," his teachings have shown lasting value.