Aleister Crowley and the Practice of the Magical Diary

This book illustrates the theory and practice of the Magical Diary, and elaborates on its importance for the student of Scientific Illuminism (a term by which Crowley designated his teachings). The collection presented here includes Crowley's two most important instructional writings on the design and purpose of the magical diary. John St. John, first published in THE EQUINOX in 1909, chronicles his moment-to-moment progress during a 13-day Great Magical Retirement undertaken earlier that year. Crowley referred to John St. John as "... a perfect model of what a magical record should be ..." A Master of the Temple is taken from the magical diary of Frater Achad (Charles Stansfeld Jones). It was included in EQUINOX III, 1 in 1919. Crowley edited the diary for publication and added his invaluable commentary on Achad's magical work -- at a time when he felt Achad was his most successful student