WHY THELEMA?
Choosing Internal Power vs Borrowed Power
If you’ve been following my writings, both online and in print, for a while, you likely already know that I am a Thelemite.
However, it occurs to me that I’ve never thoroughly explained what convinced me that Thelema is indeed the best spiritual path — at least from my perspective. This conviction stems primarily from what I describe as the difference between Borrowed Power and Internal Power.
The former focuses on seeking favour and guidance from deities or spirits, while the latter is centred around awakening the divine potential within oneself.
Thelema firmly belongs to the latter category. It is a demanding path, yet its rewards are unparalleled for those genuinely seeking self-mastery. To appreciate why Thelema is the superior choice, one must understand its essence, not through the lens of popular self-help ideas or abstract Western philosophy, but through a direct engagement with its core principles.
Borrowed Power: The Comfort of Devotional Spirituality
Devotional spirituality emphasises the relationship between humans and divine entities, such as gods, angels, or spirits. Here, practitioners often see themselves as humble servants, seeking blessings or intervention from these higher powers. It is a path that provides precise rituals and practices, along with a structured community that reinforces a sense of shared purpose. By petitioning a deity for protection, prosperity, or guidance, devotees place their faith in the idea that a higher power has a plan for them and can provide assistance.
The appeal of this approach lies in its accessibility. For many, the comfort of feeling guided and protected by a benevolent force offers emotional solace and a sense of belonging. Devotional paths are inherently community-centred, offering a spiritual family that supports its members through shared rituals and collective worship. This communal aspect can create a supportive environment that is both a boon and a hindrance.
While this helps individuals feel connected and less alone, it can also discourage deeper self-exploration, as the focus often shifts from personal spiritual growth to communal conformity. I understand completely that the need for community and support is a basic human need. We thrive in spaces where we feel seen and supported. However, I firmly believe we live in times where our perception of communal spaces has been severely warped by the proliferation of online, virtual communities that are “communities” in name only. These digital spaces, which should ideally foster connection, too often turn into marketplaces — where individuals are commodified, and genuine mutual help and support become rare.
In these virtual spaces, each individual becomes just another product, manipulated and sold by the technocratic feudal lords of the 21st century. And yes, I am painfully aware that by writing these words on this platform, I also remain under the same thrall. Yet, we must recognise this erosion of real community for what it is — a byproduct of our current digital age, where even spirituality can become commercialised, and people can lose sight of true, authentic engagement with others.
One possible solution lies in creating more “gated” communities, i.e., private groups that carefully control who is allowed inside. These groups often face criticism, especially when access requires payment, leading to accusations of elitism. But, in truth, this is a tested way to avoid exposure to faceless trolls and the marketplace manipulations of the broader digital world. Paywalls, though imperfect, can offer a layer of protection, allowing people to cultivate spaces where they can authentically connect, away from the chaos and commodification so common online. In such spaces, real support can flourish, and meaningful spiritual growth can occur without the distractions of superficial virtual “community” dynamics.
That said, what remains is that relying heavily on external forces, this type of spirituality can inadvertently reinforce a sense of powerlessness.
The practitioner’s progress becomes dependent on divine favour or external validation rather than internal transformation. As a result, many seekers choose this path not because they are genuinely called to serve a deity but because it offers a more straightforward, less challenging spiritual journey.
Internal Power: Thelema’s Call to Self-Mastery
Thelema, in contrast, encourages a radically self-determined approach to spirituality. Its central tenet, Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law, is often misunderstood (often maliciously by its critics) as a call for self-indulgence. However, it actually urges individuals to discover and align with their True Will — their deepest divine purpose. Crowley envisioned Thelema as the culmination of the Western occult tradition, aiming to create a rational and natural spiritual system that directly engages with the self. Unlike paths that insist on devotion to external deities, Thelema focuses on understanding and awakening one’s inner essence or Star.
Thelema’s concept of the Star represents the true divine self, a spiritual essence that transcends the individual personality and persists beyond birth and death. This understanding shifts the perspective from seeing death as a final end to viewing it as a minor transition, a bump in the road rather than a terminus. In this view, our everyday consciousness is not our true self, and the journey in Thelema involves peeling back the layers of the ego and personality to connect with this inner Star.
The process is highly practical, requiring a disciplined approach that begins with cultivating what Crowley termed virtue: freedom, self-responsibility, and a consistent dedication to spiritual practice. This virtue is not just a set of abstract ideals but a rigorous discipline that demands constant self-examination and a commitment to personal growth.
An essential step in this journey is defining one’s finite will, which is the grounded, tangible understanding of one’s role and purpose in this life. Unlike vague notions of following one’s passion, this involves a concrete articulation of one’s direction, serving as a compass for all actions and decisions. Crowley emphasised the importance of clearly defining this will, advising that each person should encapsulate their True Will in a single sentence.
As you can imagine, this starting point is not easy in itself, and this is where Magick’s practices come into play. They offer a supra-rational framework in which one lets go of the constant need to understand everything at all times and instead allows the voice of that divine true self to begin guiding one towards one’s goal.
Discipline and Will: The Foundations of Thelemic Practice
The path of Thelema is not easy. It requires intense self-discipline and a commitment to practices that train both the body and mind. These practices include meditation, ceremonial magic, and self-reflection, all aimed at quieting thoughts and focusing the will. Just as an artist spends years mastering their craft or an athlete dedicates themselves to training, Thelemites must dedicate themselves to rigorous inner work.
While Thelema focuses on self-reliance and inner power, it also acknowledges the importance of devotion in the early stages.
While opinions on this subject differ significantly within Thelemic circles, my personal view, grounded in direct experience, is that for those just beginning this journey, it is helpful to approach the Star — or Holy Guardian Angel (HGA) — as if it were a separate being. In doing so, the relationship takes on a form not unlike that found in other devotional paths, where practitioners connect with a higher entity for guidance. This method can provide clarity and focus early on, helping to cultivate a deeper understanding of the Star. Crowley offered guidance on this approach through Liber Astarte, a text designed to assist in this devotional process.
This relationship is then developed through personalised rituals, which can be guided by Crowley’s texts, such as Liber Samekh and Liber VIII. These rituals serve as bridges, connecting the practitioner to deeper layers of their own consciousness until the separation between the self and the Star dissolves, effectively realising the transition from a Borrowed Power to an Internal Power approach to the whole process.
The first major milestone on this path is the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel — a direct encounter with one’s inner essence. This experience provides profound insight and guidance, aligning the individual more closely with their True Will. Following this, the next phase is unifying with the Angel, a process known as Crossing the Abyss. This stage is transformative, bringing a deep understanding of the nature of existence — birth, life, and death — and freeing the individual from the suffering associated with them. It is here that theoretical knowledge about the self and the cosmos becomes lived reality.
Thelema and the Law of the New Aeon offer a clear, defined path toward this second profound experience, one I have not found in other systems, particularly not in those devotional traditions that rely heavily on Borrowed Power. The Crossing of the Abyss requires a complete dissolution of all dualities and polarities, including the most fundamental one that devotional practices rest upon: the separation of “I” and “Thou,” or the distinction between oneself and the Divine. Devotional paths maintain this separation by their very nature, creating an inherent barrier that prevents complete unification with the divine essence within.
This is precisely why Thelema stands out for me as a spiritual system. It addresses the deepest layers of spiritual transformation in a way that devotional systems — no matter how powerful — cannot. The experience of Crossing the Abyss demands the letting go of all attachments to duality, including the comfort of relying on external deities or forces. In that sense, Thelema calls for a radical form of spiritual self-reliance, where even the distinction between self and divinity must eventually dissolve.
It’s also why I remain fundamentally sceptical of those who claim to have achieved this level of attainment. The sheer difficulty and magnitude of Crossing the Abyss make it a rare and exceedingly personal experience, not something easily paraded or shared. While I understand that mystical experiences are deeply significant for those who have them, I find that I don’t need — or even want — to hear about anyone else’s claims of spiritual achievement.
These experiences are, by their very nature, internal, and their true value is not in the telling but in the personal transformation that follows. For me, the focus remains on the inward journey, where the distinction between self and the divine is entirely erased, a process that can only be genuinely understood through direct experience.
A Unique Thelemic Challenge: Moving Beyond the “O.T.O. Brand.”
Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), often perceived as the primary organisation representing Thelema, was historically simply one of the Orders of the Old Aeon that first embraced the Law of Thelema — arguably, the only one. However, it has since evolved into a brand, attracting individuals who may be unaware of the need to go beyond its structure and create something new and better.
Given everything discussed so far, it should become clear why the current incarnation of the Ordo Templi Orientis fundamentally fails at its stated purpose. O.T.O. claims to be the vehicle for spreading Thelema. Yet, its focus on establishing Thelema as a religion — with a heavy focus on communal rituals, formal hierarchies, and a broad, open-door membership policy — betrays the very essence of Thelemic practice.
By prioritising community cohesion and devotional frameworks over individual attainment and inner exploration, O.T.O. has drifted towards the model of Borrowed Power spirituality. This approach is contrary to the deeply personal and demanding path of self-realisation that Crowley envisioned, where each practitioner is tasked with discovering and aligning with their True Will through rigorous self-discipline and direct experience.
By focusing more on creating a structured religious community than on fostering the internal, transformative journey that defines Thelema, O.T.O. has become a space where the essence of Crowley’s teachings — centred on personal sovereignty and the unification with the inner divine — often takes a backseat to dogma, formalities, and the comfort of belonging to a group. Consequently, it risks reducing Thelema to yet another conventional faith rather than the revolutionary, individualistic spiritual path it was meant to be.
Thelema: The Next Step for Humanity
Thelema stands out as a demanding yet deeply empowering spiritual path. It is not for those seeking comfort or external validation but for those willing to confront their inner shadows and challenge themselves to awaken their divine potential. It offers a path of self-discovery where the practitioner learns to trust in their own divinity rather than depend on the favour of external beings or communal structures.
While many may be drawn to devotional spirituality for its simplicity and sense of community, Thelema’s emphasis on individual exploration makes it uniquely liberating. It allows for a direct relationship with the divine that is rooted in personal experience and self-mastery. This self-determined path mirrors the dedication required to excel in any craft, be it art, music, or sports, where natural talent is only the beginning, and true mastery comes from relentless dedication and discipline.
Thelema offers unparalleled independence. It teaches the practitioner to become self-reliant and trust in their own divinity rather than seek approval from any external authority, whether that be a deity, a community, or a doctrine. This makes it a uniquely liberating path, allowing the individual to transcend the limitations of ego and external influence and to become a true master of their own fate.
Moreover, Thelema does not reject the existence or power of deities and spirits — it simply frames the relationship differently. Rather than approaching these entities as a supplicant, a Thelemite sees them as allies or guides who can be engaged with as equals. This perspective places the practitioner in a position of partnership rather than subservience, further highlighting the core principle of personal sovereignty.
By immersing oneself in Thelemic practice and dedicating time to understanding the self, a practitioner can achieve profound spiritual freedom. This makes Thelema the superior choice for those seeking deep transformation and effecting, long-lasting spiritual healing. It is a journey that requires letting go of preconceptions, embracing solitude as a way to strengthen one’s resolve, becoming a Star in the Company of Heaven, and committing fully to the realisation of one’s True Will.
For those with the courage to take on its challenges, Thelema offers the highest potential for spiritual mastery and a path to become a co-creator of one’s reality, aligned with the very currents of the universe
DISCLAIMER: In this article, I used extensively publicly available images by the artistic collective Logos373. While I support their work, which stands as some of the finest I have ever seen in Thelemic circles, I want to iterate clearly that there is no direct connection between us and that our opinions might diverge, sometimes even drastically, on the topics I write about.
