ELEMENTS OF SHAMANIC TRADITION IN THE RITUAL SYSTEM OF THELEMA AND THE CREATIVE HERITAGE OF ALEISTER CROWLEY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32420/2306-3548/2025.97.07Keywords:
Thelema, shamanism, Aleister Crowley, ecstasy, altered states of consciousness, religious practiceAbstract
This article explores potential intersections between the religious-mystical system of Thelema, founded by Aleister Crowley, and archaic shamanic practices. The analysis focuses on altered states of consciousness, techniques of achieving ecstasy, astral travel, spirit communication, and the role of the practitioner as a mediator between worlds. Key theoretical sources from both traditions are examined, including Crowley’s seminal writings, Mircea Eliade’s studies, and contemporary empirical and philosophical research on shamanism and psychoactive experiences. The study concludes that although Thelema is a modernized and esoteric Western system, it shares several functional analogies with shamanism, especially regarding ritual work with consciousness. The subject calls for further interdisciplinary research at the intersection of religious studies, anthropology, and the history of mysticism.
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