Edward Alexander Crowley, who came to be more popularly known as Aleister Crowlay, was a magician, occultist, painter, writer, active mountaineer and religious ideologue from England, who courted a lot of controversy during his lifetime but is still considered among the most famous Britons. Crowley was born in 1875 in a wealthy family and developed an interest in writing poetry and climbing mountains during his time at the prestigious University of Cambridge. He also learned ceremonial magic from the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and then went to India in order to learn more about Hinduism and Buddhism. Crowley wrote a considerable number of books on occult practices and in addition to that, he had also turned over a large number of novels and poetry collections during his career. However, his most important contribution as an occultists and religious ideologue was the establishment of the religion Thelema. Crowley’s fiercely libertine activities made him a controversial figure and his love life, drug usage and views attracted the wrath of British society. Some people even believe that he was actually a member of the British intelligence agency and even Crowley had himself claimed that once. There is no doubt that Crowley is one of the most fascinating characters from history and here are some of his most famous quotes.
One would go mad if one took the Bible seriously; but to take it seriously one must be already mad.
Aleister Crowley
May the New Year bring you courage to break your resolutions early! My own plan is to swear off every kind of virtue, so that I triumph even when I fall!
The Way of Mastery is to break all the rules—but you have to know them perfectly before you can do this; otherwise you are not in a position to transcend them.
I've often thought that there isn't any "I" at all; that we are simply the means of expression of something else; that when we think we are ourselves, we are simply the victims of a delusion.
I was not content to believe in a personal devil and serve him, in the ordinary sense of the word. I wanted to get hold of him personally and become his chief of staff.
Truth! Truth! Truth! crieth the Lord of the Abyss of Hallucinations
Aleister Crowley
To read a newspaper is to refrain from reading something worthwhile. [....] The first discipline of education must therefore be to refuse resolutely to feed the mind with canned chatter.
![To read a newspaper is to refrain from reading something worthwhile. [....] The first discipline of education must therefore be to refuse resolutely to feed the mind with canned chatter.](https://quotes.thefamouspeople.com/images/quotes/aleister-crowley-1943.jpg)
