
Strange As It Seems Weaponized Magic: Aleister Crowley to MK Ultra
Dec 6, 2024
Richard Spence, a historian and expert on intelligence history and the occult, dives into the bizarre connections between magic and espionage. He discusses Aleister Crowley's potential role in British intelligence during WWI, including his influence on U.S. opinion and propaganda. Spence also explores Soviet psi-research, highlighting Alexander Barchenko's mystical pursuits and Andrija Puharich's ties to MKUltra. The discussion reveals the strange interplay between the occult, psychological warfare, and governmental secrecy.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Crowley As An Intelligence Asset
- Aleister Crowley likely worked as a British intelligence asset using occult skills and hypnotism for influence operations.
- His drug dosing and stagecraft were precursors to later government mind-control research like MKUltra.
Island Retreat Under Official Cover
- Crowley lived on Esopus Island performing rituals while MID and the British consulate monitored him.
- The consulate told U.S. authorities he was an employee of the British government, shielding him from arrest.
Perception Manipulation As Tradecraft
- Crowley blended hypnotism, stagecraft and drugs to alter others' perception and 'make himself invisible.'
- These techniques are intelligence-useful because they manipulate attention and belief.









