The following provides some general explanations of terminology:

Magick

Magick is the ancient art and science of causing physical and psychic changes to occur in conformity with the will of the magician. Our form of Magick is spelled with a "k" to distinguish it from stage magic or prestidigitation. We are students, practitioners and teachers of Alchemy, Divination, Qabalah, Ritual, Hermetic Science, Yoga, and related disciplines, all aimed at furthering the spiritual evolution of humankind and achieving the Great Work.

Aleister Crowley

Aleister Crowley was a prominent British author, poet, philosopher, mountain climber, and magician who lived from 1875-1947. In 1898 he was initiated in the British section of the magical Order known as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, an occult society under the direction of S. L. Mathers. It was here that Crowley began his lifelong dedication tot he study and practice of Magick. Crowley was a prolific writer on the subject of Magick and likely contributed more to the serious study of the subject than any person in the 20th century.

Ordo Templi Orientis

The Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.) or order of the Temple of the East, was founded in the early 20th century as a secret society of high-ranking Freemasons in Germany. In 1922, Aleister Crowley assumed leadership of the O.T.O after revising its rites to conform to the Law of Thelema. Today the O.T.O. is active in over 25 countries, with a growing membership of over 3,000 people.

We are a serious, secret order, pledged to the high pupose of securing the liberty of the individual and his or her advancement in light, wisdom, understanding, knowledge and power through beauty, courage, truth and wit, on the foundation of universal brotherhood. Every free man and woman of full age and good report has the indefeasible right to initiation into the first three degrees of our Order.

The Book of the Law

On April 8th, 9th and 10th of 1904, a spiritual entity known as Aiwass dictated Liber Al vel Legis (The Book of the Law) to Aleister Crowley in Cairo, Egypt. This book contains 220 verses in three chapters, and heralds the dawning of a New Aeon in human development. It brings a message of spiritual freedomand personal emancipation to all of humanity, communicated in a spiritual philosopy known as the Law of Thelema.

The Law of Thelema

Thelema is the Greek word meaning "Will." The Law of Thelema may be simply stated as: "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law." This assertion recognizes the absolute right of every human being to follow his or her true course of existence without interference. It is further elaborated by the pharse: "Love is the law, love under will." indicating the manner by which this right is to be ensured and the method whereby it is to be fulfilled. The Law of Thelema is not to be interpreted as a license to indulge every whim, but as an injunction to discover one's True Will, and to do it. We believe that every person possesses a True Will, or life-purpose, which he or she may discover and follow to achieve complete harmony and absolute fulfillment throughout life. Our Order exists to support and encourage men and women in the discovery of their own True Will.

The practice of Thelema is founded on the principle of Scientific Illuminism, which is expressed by the motto, "The Method of Science, the Aim of Religion." Scientific Illuminism is the systematic and scientific study of religious, magical, and mystical practices and techniques, and the objective and subjective evaluation of their results.

True Will

Most Thelemites (adherents of Thelema) hold that every person possesses a True Will, a single overall motivation for their existence. The Law of Thelema mandates that each peson discover and follow their True Will to attain fulfillment in life, as a star follows its true course through the universe. Just as hte stars in their orbits do not haphazardly collide with each other, we hold that htose who are genuinely following their True Wills will not interfere with the True Will of any other person

The notioin of absolute freedom for an individual to follow his or her True Will is a cherished one among Thelemites. This philosophy also recognizes that the main task of an individual setting out on the path of Thelema is to first discover his or her True Will, giving methods of self-exploration such as Yoga, Qabalah and Magick great importance. Furthermore, every True Will is unique, and because each person has a unique positiion in the universe, no one can determine or dictate another peson's True Will. Each individual must ultimately arrive at this discovery for themselves.

The Great Work

The Great Work (Magnum Opus) of each individual is defined by this process of discovery and ultimate fulfillment of the individual's True Will. The Great Work is a term utilized by alchemists to describe the self-transformative process of the individual, using the metaphor of the transmutation of lead into gold. Within the context of Thelema, this generally means reaching and establishing a statae of being traditionally known as "the Knowledge and Coversation of the Holy Guardian Angel (or Augoeides)." The preliminary processes of the aspirant in the Great Work usually involves self analysis, study and practice of Raja Yoga, Qabalah and Ceremonial Magick, which progressively leads the aspirant into deeper and deeper states of consciousness and self-awareness.