David Shoemaker, the Chancellor of the International College of Thelema, has presented us with a new introductory Thelemic text, Living Thelema (2013), which provides the novice with an outline for starting with the Thelemic material. He begins with some comments on basic practices, moves on to some material tied more clearly to his A∴A∴ work, and finishes with some advice on how to integrate this material into a Thelemic lifestyle. This material is aimed for those drawn to Thelema, but who do not have significant exposure to the works of Aleister Crowley or occultism in general.
I should probably begin by stating that I am not a fan of beginner books. They tend, by virtue of being targeted at beginners, to reduce the material to a ridiculously unusable level. They try to cover for their paucity of information by utilizing bland platitudes which are, far too often, nothing more than standard opinions culled from Western (typically American) society.
I am not claiming that Dr. Shoemaker avoids these pitfalls. However, I found them to be far less egregious than other books in this category. The fact that Dr. Shoemaker can actually write makes this book stand out from the others of its kind.
Interestingly, a journal recently released an advance article on the tendency to psychologize occultism. The target of the article was Dr. Israel Regardie.1 Like Dr. Shoemaker, Dr. Regardie was a psychologist. It is only natural, perhaps, that the disturbing tendencies to sacralize psychology and psychologize occultism are also present in Living Thelema. For the most part, this trend is a potentiality, but it is something to be aware of — and possibly be on guard against.
The book itself is divided into three parts: Tools for the Journey, Perspectives on the Path of Attainment, and Life Outside the Temple. The first covers basic terminology and rituals. The second moves to a more theoretical framework, discussing tools such as tarot and alchemy within the initiatory framework of the A∴A∴. The final section is sacred psychology. I am not dismissing the value of psychology, nor am I saying that it isn’t important for the magician to be balanced; however, I do feel that there is a risk of conflating spirit and the mind. While the maxim “As above, so below” is a given, we must not forget that one is above and the other below — or, to use language more in keeping with Shoemaker’s book, it is a mistake to restrict the neshemah by the rules of the ruach.
While the author’s background in psychology casts an interesting slant on the material, I find his selection of what to include and what not to include more interesting. For starters, the book does not include an index. Any book without an index is difficult to use as a reference. This indicates to me that the work is not really intended for actual use. At best it is intended as a one shot that can be easily discarded after being read.
Further, despite several locations where it would be wholly appropriate, there is no reference to De Cultu. In part one, there are various sections detailing the practices appropriate for the beginner. The importance of these practices are given time and again in Crowley’s work, but are listed and presented most succinctly in De Cultu.
While it is phased in, which either implies that the work is dangerous and/or complicated, most of the elements from De Cultu are present in part one of Shoemaker’s book. While I do not recall it being explicitly mentioned, I will just grant him the study of the Holy Books. He discusses Resh, the pentagram rituals, astral work, and yoga. However, of the three Masses listed, only Liber XV, the Rite of the Gnostic Catholic Church, is mentioned. According to Crowley, a eucharistic rite should be performed daily. The omission is doubly strange as this practice ties with several points that he elaborates in his section on getting started — specifically, 1) magical hygiene, 2) calling/directing magical force, and 6) forging a link with one’s HGA.
This omission is common. Either because of its solitary nature (which allows the magician to partake of the sacrament outside of the group) or because of the minor use of blood, the Mass of the Phoenix has fallen from favor. I am not saying that Dr. Shoemaker has caved to social pressures by excluding this rite from his section on the eucharist. It may be an honest oversight. Perhaps his lineage introduces this practice later. However, it is obvious that by not including the directions from Crowley, he bypasses the supposed controversy altogether.
This leads to another issue. In chapter six, dealing with the hexagram rituals, Dr. Shoemaker tells us that the elemental attributions given by Crowley in Liber O are incorrect. He states that the elemental directions given are those valid within the Vault of the Golden Dawn and instructs the reader to use the attributions for the Lesser Pentagram Ritual. He gives no explanation as to why the attributions are not relevant outside the vault, nor does he cite any source that uses his elemental attributions. Given that the Hexagram Rite is on a higher plane (in the author’s parlance, macrocosmic rather than microcosmic), and that various pentagram rituals have different attributions (e.g., the Star Ruby puts Fire-Leo in the East rather than Air), I would think that some justification for this change would be warranted. As it stands, it seems that Dr. Shoemaker just decided Crowley was wrong and just grabbed the attributions of the Lesser Pentagram Ritual from habit.
Part two is where this book becomes interesting. Part one is rather mechanical, covering the basics of De Cultu. Part two is where we can see some of the authors own opinions and ideas. Two chapters which stand out are the chapter on the Tarot as it relates to the System of Initiation within the A∴A∴ and the chapter on the Chakras. This is a practical interpretation of the poetical form present in The Wake World. Thus, one starts in Malkuth. The grade of Zelator, being in Yesod has its tasks related to the Universe card (which is attributed to the path leading from Malkuth to Yesod). Likewise, Practicus’ tasks are tied to the Aeon and Sun cards. Finally, Philosophus is tied to the Moon, Emperor, and Tower cards. The presentation is clear and useful.
Dr. Shoemaker’s chapter on the chakras is also interesting. He bypasses the whole energy vortex slant, which was popularized by the Theosophical/New Age movement, and instead focuses on their relationship to the sephirah, i.e., their symbolic meaning, and thus to the related A∴A∴ degrees. He does not discuss the chakras in relation to the OTO, instead referring the readers to the diagram in the Equinox III:10. While I may have practical reservations about the mapping of the Hindu system to the Hermetic Qabalah as put forth by Crowley, it is important to know them so as to understand what Crowley meant when he referred to the chakras. Dr. Shoemakers refusal to regurgitate the New Age claptrap that has accreted on the doctrine is refreshing.
Altogether, Living Thelema is a beginner’s book and suffers from many of the problems that all beginner’s books seem to have. I don’t see it as having a significant reread factor. Further, Part one could have been greatly reduced without loss. The chapters on the HGA and True Will are useful since they define these terms as the author uses them. The chapter on Ritual Construction is undoubtedly useful for the beginner. The rest could be replaced by a copy of de Cultu with footnotes on where to find the practices described.
Part two is the more interesting section, and I would have liked to see this section expanded. The weakest parts seem to be the chapters on Alchemy, in particular, the one titled 21st Century Alchemy. Part three was pretty much a total wash for me. As I mentioned earlier, I find the intersection of psychology and occultism to be limiting for occultism and unfair for psychology.
As a beginner’s book, it will have more value for the true novice than others of its kind. Since I found something interesting, it is actually on the top of the list. If you are a beginner, by all means, buy this book. Just promise that you will actually read the referenced Crowley materials, which, despite rumors to the contrary, are not that difficult.
1 Plaisance. Israel Regardie and the Psychologization of Esoteric Discourse
Note: a version of this review first appeared in the Coph Nia Wand 2015.
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