Ep. 236: Alan Chapman on the OTO Lawsuit, the Book of the Law & Whether This World Is a Bardo

This book, also known as Liber AL vel Legis, was dictated to Aleister Crowley in Cairo between April 8th and 10th, 1904, by an entity named Aiwass. It forms the core of Crowley's philosophical and spiritual system of Thelema. The text challenges conventional morality and spirituality, promoting a philosophy of individual freedom and self-realization through the central tenet 'Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.' The book is known for its cryptic and poetic language, and it has been interpreted and studied by many as a guide to spiritual evolution and personal will.

Eight Lectures on Yoga collects accessible talks by Crowley on meditation and yogic disciplines, notable for clear instruction and synthesis of Eastern practices for Western students. Chapman and Louv praise its quality and practical insight, noting it remains one of Crowley’s best expositions on yoga and meditation. The work influenced Western occult approaches to contemplative practice and reflects Crowley’s direct experience with yoga teachers and techniques. It demonstrates Crowley’s capacity to translate Eastern practices into a pragmatic framework for ceremonial magicians.

The Lesser Key of Solomon is an anonymous grimoire compiling earlier magical material—most notably the Goetia, which lists 72 spirits—and ritual instructions for evocation and control of spirits. Its materials derive from the Greek magical papyri and other medieval sources, and its transmission through Renaissance and early-modern Europe shaped later ceremonial magic. Chapman highlights a 'preliminary invocation' attached to it that Crowley used as a central formula for invoking the Holy Guardian Angel, illustrating how grimoire and Golden Dawn influences converged in Crowley’s practice.