“Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.”
“Every child is absolute.” Aleister Crowley
One Thelemite
Now, it must be understood that this essay is only intended to express the opinions of one Thelemite, parent and teacher. I do not mean to imply that my perspective is authoritative in any way, nor representative of any Thelemic organization, much less of Thelema as such. Still, I have given this subject a great deal of thought, and think it may be helpful to share my understanding with anyone who might be interested. Thus I have gathered a wide assortment of personal reflections and philosophical speculations into one essay, just to put it out there as one point of view, simply representing one way of approaching the pedagogy of Thelema.
I have been meditating upon Aleister Crowley’s reflections on education for quite some time (over 20 years now), after having been introduced to his books by a friend in High School. In fact, Crowley was actually one of my first introductions to the Philosophy of Education, which lead me to seriously question the value of the education I received in school. I had already suspected that school was a sham, but Crowley’s work thoroughly convinced me of this. My interest in Thelema inspired me to work to educate myself the best I could, trying to fill in the gaps, and rid myself of many misconceptions left over from my schooling. Meanwhile, I began consuming whatever compelling courses I could find at my local Colleges, mostly Humanities, particularly intrigued by Psychology, Sociology and Political Science. My interests lead me to major in Philosophy at a University where I was introduced to the work of John Dewey, which inspired me to find a job working with children. Eventually I came to realize that it was my Will to pursue a career in the field of Education, so I switched my major, with the ambition of applying the Law of Thelema to the Art and Science of Teaching. Now that I am the father of my own child, my interest has gained even more significance, and my studies have proven more valuable than I could ever have imagined.
At this point on my path I have been studying Child Development and teaching children for over 15 years, and have read well over 100 books (not to mention articles) by all the most influential Philosophers of Education. Still, I continue find inspiration in the few short essays and scattered quotations I discovered long ago in the works of Crowley. Further, the more I study recent research on the Psychology of Learning, the more I am impressed by the relevance of the original ideas Crowley authored almost 100 years ago. Most of all, I have been intrigued by the parallels between Crowley’s educational theories and those of the Progressive Education Moverment, expressed around the same time, the beginning of the 20th century, at the birth of the Aeon of the Child. Thus, I have been studying and collecting notes with the goal of fleshing out Crowley’s musings, by placing them squarely at the center of the progressive movement, with the ambition of formulating the basic principles of a uniquely Thelemic pedagogy.
Of course, the conclusions I have reached are only my own, merely reflecting the limitations of my mind, and should not be taken as the limits of the Thelema, which remains infinitely flexible in the capacity for endless applications and transmutations. It must be understood, that I certainly do not mean to imply that my personal interpretations should be universally accepted by all Thelemites. No. Of course, every Star must arrive at one’s own Understanding in the end; nonetheless we had best learn from one another, if we hope to make progress upon this, or any other path. In this light, I just want to share my discoveries, in the hope that I might inspire others to reflect upon Aleister Crowley's educational theories in the broader context of the Philosophy of Education. Perhaps, at best, my thought will provide inspiration for other Thelemites, whose Will may be to have, or to teach, children, that they might strive to apply the Law of Liberty, with respect for the young. Further, my sincere wish, is that I might provoke others, particularly Thelemite parents and teachers, to challenge my opinions on the matter, which I recognize as inevitably limited by the limits of my perspective; that together, we might come to approximate a Pedagogy of Thelema.
The Education of a Star
I begin with the understanding that every child, as a Human and a Stars, is naturally drawn to Thelema (in essence, if not by name), as one is compelled by nature to follow the Will. This is to say that all children are Thelemites, until they are systematically alienated from their innate love of liberty, by the overwhelming force of the life denying dominator culture, embodied by parents, preachers and teachers, all who would thwart the child's development to suit their own ends. In my understanding, an enlightened Thelemite, in parenting, as in teaching, would proactively combat the regressive forces prevalent in our society, to the best of their ability, while continuously working to foster the holistic development their children. Of course, this broad objective might be carried out any number of ways, and I imagine every Thelemite will take a different spin on just how to accomplish this, depending partly personal preferences and values, partly upon the unique temperament, skills and interests, of specific children. Anyways, how might one best work to foster the development of a child’s Will, when neither you or the child yet know what that Will may be?
Perhaps the best way to understand a Thelemic approach to education, is in contrast to the traditional methods of forceful indoctrination characteristic of the Old Aeon, which remain dominant in school systems throughout the world to this day. I think Johann Fichte summarized the old way fairly well in his “Addresses to the German Nation” in 1807: "Education must consist essentially in this, that it completely destroys freedom of will in the soil which it undertakes to cultivate, and produces on the contrary strict necessity in the decisions of the will, the opposite being impossible... you must fashion him, and fashion him in such a way that he simply cannot will otherwise than you wish him to will." This ideal, of breaking the Will of the child and replacing it with that of the educator, or system of education, represents the antithesis of a Thelemic understanding of education. Now, in modern democratic societies, where it is no longer legal to literally beat children into submission, methods of coercion have had to take on much subtler forms. Thus, Noam Chomsky points out that, "The whole educational and professional training system is a very elaborate filter, which just weeds out people who are too independent, and who think for themselves, and who don’t know how to be submissive, and so on — because they’re dysfunctional to the institutions." Either way, the end is the same.
In stark contrast to the traditional approach which seeks merely to stuff the child’s brain full of useless information, to be regurgitated on demand, Aleister Crowley asserts clearly that, “Education means "leading out"; this is not the same as "stuffing in."(Magick Without Tears) Further, Crowley clarifies that, “To extract something, you should first know what is there,” (Magick Without Tears) which is to say that one need first understand the unique individuality of each child, if one hopes to have a beneficial influence upon that child. Yet, this must not be mistaken as a plea for passivity on the part of the teacher, or parent, for one must lure children out of ignorance, by gradually leading the child to deeper revelations of truth. Thus Crowley insists that we, “Get him to fence with you; sharpen his wits by dialectic; lure him into thinking for himself. I want tricks which will show him the advantages of a given subject of study; make him pester you to teach him.” This trick, of revealing he advantage of subjects, might be contrasted with the use of force, at one extreme, and bribery or sugar-coating on the other; this trick, unlike any other teaching technique, gets strait to the root of all education. So it is “with pretty well everything; we first excited the child's will in the desired direction.” (Magick Without Tears) In this way, the child is guided to pursue knowledge, understanding and wisdom, unto their ultimate end: truth. To this end, the parent or teacher of Thelema, will make every effort to perfect this subtle guidance, and be sure to work without unduly stifling the Will of the child.
With traditional education, children are systematically molded into whatever image society wishes to impose upon them, disregarding the wishes of children, who may well be fundamentally opposed to this end. Obviously, a certain degree of indoctrination is unavoidable, as an essential element in all education, and is not necessarily destructive to the child’s Will. It think it safe to assume that the Will of each child includes the desire to be socialized in the culture and customs of the society one is born into; as well as a need to understand the social expectations, and laws of any community one is likely to come into contact with. Where I believe education oversteps its bounds, is when it insists that the child accept its tenets as their own. Further, when either parents or teachers, seek to compel conformity, by forbidding divergent thoughts and behaviors, they cease to be educators in any meaningful sense, and merely assert themselves as petty tyrants over helpless children. It is this tyranny over the hearts and minds of the youth, needlessly retarding the full development of human potential, which the Law of Thelema has set out to overthrow.
Children in Thelema
In particular, all those parents and teachers who identify as Thelemites, would be wise to take some time to think about how they might best apply the Law of Thelema, “Do what thou wilt,” with “love under will,” to all their interactions with children. Further, I would argue that even Thelemites who have no interest in children, would do well to reflect awhile upon their own upbringing, and consider the various Thelemic, or more often anti-Thelemic, influences that might have impacted their personal development as children. For those Thelemites who would argue that Thelema has no place in the lives of the youth, I am inclined to retort that they must hold a very narrow definition of the word. In my experience arguing with people who believe Thelema to be inappropriate for children, it seems that they tend to view Thelema as little more than a sex cult, or mere license to indulge in debauchery. I am not saying that sex and drugs have no place in Thelema, of course they play a central role for many Thelemites. Regardless, these practices merely scratch the surface of a greater truth, which is the nature of the Will. It seems the No Kids in Thelema camp have not graduated beyond the "I do what I want" phase, to grasp the deeper meaning of "Do what thou wilt," to recognize that "the Law is for All," and not just them.
As I understand Thelema, it is not merely fringe subculture, but a meta-philosophy, which provides a sort of magnifying lens whereby one might perceive the inner-connectivity and interdependence of all other religious and philosophical systems. As such, it is absurd to expect Thelemite parents and teachers to refrain from allowing Thelema to influence their parenting/teaching styles, and inform their selection of certain curricula and extracurricular experiences, in order to enable children to discover the deeper significance of the lessons they learn. If Thelema is a way Life, and not merely an abstract theology, it must ultimately be related to everything; so why would we not apply the Law to anything so significant as pedagogy? In fact, the problem of education lies at the heart of the path of initiation, as much effort is wasted, failing to recognize that one must first undo all of the faulty programming imprinted in childhood, if one hopes to make any progress upon the Path. Thus, by working to remove the obstructions that deform a child’s psychology, we might help prepare that child to discover and accomplish the Will. Further, the more children who are brought up in this light, the closer we might come to a fulfillment of this Aeon.
In any case, I will draw the attention to Crowley’s view, which I think summarizes the matter quite well: “All children and young people… may always be taught to rule their lives in accordance with the Law. No efforts should be spared to bring them to this emancipation. The misery caused to children by the operation of the law of the slave-gods was, one may say, the primum mobile of Our first aspiration to overthrow the Old Law.” (Khabs am Pekht) With this sentiment I am inclined to agree, as the history of childhood is wrought with neglect and abuse, embodied in traditional systems of education, founded upon the so-called “family values” sanctioned by Church and State. Thus, my primary motivation for working to develop a pedagogy of Thelema is just this, that I might work to emancipate children from the tyranny of adults who would rather brake a child’s Will than foster it. In this way we might come to overthrow the old system, that was designed to merely subjugate and indoctrinate children for its shallow ends, and replace it with a new one that actually works to enlighten and liberate children, to discover and accomplish their own Wills.
Aleister as Educator
In opposition to the imposition of the Will of the adult over that of the child, Aleister Crowley insists that we, “Let them think and act for themselves.” In his essay “On the Education of Children,” he goes further to say that at the Abbey of Thelema in Cefalu, “Nothing is taught except How to think for oneself,” as the child “is treated as a responsible and independent being, encouraged in self-reliance, and respected for self-assertion.” He goes on to assert that, “Education is assisting a soul to express itself. Every child should be presented with all possible problems and allowed to register its own reactions; it should be made to face all contingencies in turn until it overcomes each successfully. Its mind must not be influenced, but only offered all kinds of nourishment. Its innate qualities will enable it to select the food proper to its nature. Respect its individuality!” A superficial reading of this essay may give the impression that at the Abbey, they simply let the children run amok with out any supervision, and merely hoped for the best, but I think this interpretation fails to grasp the polemical air of the piece. These statements act as direct attacks against the authoritarian structure of traditional educational institutions, from which Thelema is to liberate the Child of the New Aeon.
Of course, Aleister Crowley is best known as a ceremonial magician, who wrote extensively on the subject of occultism; as well as the founder (or prophet) of Thelema, a religious philosophy that recognizes “no law beyond do what thou wilt.” I imagine many Thelemites are completely unaware of Crowley’s interest in education, or merely dismiss his thoughts on the topic as irrelevant to the Great Work, and move on; but I think he was on to something here. Although Crowley devoted most of his attention to the theory and practice of Magick, he made concerted efforts to apply the principles of Thelema to a wide array of practical matters, of which the education of children was a recurring theme. When considering his ideas on this subject, one should bear in mind that Crowley was not a professional educator, had limited experience working with children, and was in many respects a mediocre parent, mostly preoccupied with his magical and literary work. Therefore, one might expect that his educational theories, and understanding of childhood, would purely be theoretical abstractions. Though this may be true, abstract theory often plays a pivotal role in providing the framework for a fresh line of inquiry, which, if substantiated by sufficient research, might prove truly revolutionary. Thus, I believe it worthwhile to consider these ideas carefully, and see if we might discriminate between the wisdom and the folly, present in Crowley’s rudimentary outline of Thelemic pedagogy.
As far as educational theorists, Crowley was pretty strait forward, perhaps too much so, but I find his direct approach rather refreshing. I his essay on the topic, he say that, “At Cefalu's Abbey of Θελημα, children are as adults,” which I take as a recognition that children are worthy of the same respect as adults, and entitled to the same rights. Of course children at various stages of development will have different interests and ability, with wants and needs that differ greatly from those of adults; but as Stars they all have their own Will, which must be respected just the same as any other Will. First and foremost, they have a right to reality. Thus at the Abbey, “Realities are their right; they observe dispassionately and act responsibly. They are made to extricate themselves from graduated emergencies. They drill, swim, climb, play games, explore town or country alone; they listen to time-tested words. They use their minds accordingly, never in forced forms. They learn truth-seeing, courage, courtesy and independence; to mind their own business, respecting the rights of others, while resenting interference. Apprehending actualities accurately and acting adequately thereon, instead of crying, clinging, cringing, and ‘making believe,’ they master self and surroundings.”
The task of that of the educator, as that of the parent, is quite simply to lead the child out, to encourage and enable the child to persist is the exploration, to endure life’s difficulties and continue to grow, gradually unraveling the mysteries of life along the way. Thus, the task of the educator is to “Make them explore all life's mysteries, overcome all its dangers,” for “Falsity and fear are their only foe-men. Let them witness birth, marriage, death; let them hear poetry, philosophy, history; compel apprehension but not its articulate expression. Make them face cliffs, billows, animals, finding their own formula of conquest.” (On the Education of Children) In this way, each child might have ample opportunity for the holistic development of every attribute of the character, organically, without excessive waste of time, energy and resources.
Trust and Truth
The pedagogy of Thelema is founded upon a radical trust in the capacity of children to process the truth to the best of their abilities. Thus Crowley writes: “Thrust Truth on them tirelessly, careful only to make its range all comprehensive; trust them to use it.” Truth, then, is the essential thelemic curriculum; parents and teachers have only to expose children to a great diversity of experiences, to enable each child to explore the environment, and trust that one might grow in direct proportion to the depth and range of exploration. It is this commitment to truth, and trust in the child, that lays the foundation for the child’s liberty. The child must remain free to experience reality as it is as far as possible, for “Truth teaches understanding, freedom develops will, experience confers resourcefulness, independence inspires self-confidence. Thereby success becomes certain.” (On the Education of Children)
Thereby the child might progressively attain to greater and greater degrees of liberty, but first “It must be allowed absolute authority over its reactions,” while “its tendency to deceive itself or evade actuality must be cauterized by insistent confrontation with the repugnant realities.” Now I am inclined to warn against excess in this direction, since it must be understood that every child may vary in capacity to confront “repugnant realities” at various stages of development, and that premature exposure to experiences the child is not prepared for could prove traumatic, or even fatal, so one had better proceed with proper caution; still, the general principle holds true. Thus, “Truth is the first condition” of education; the child “must behold all facts scientifically. Courage, the second; it must grapple all facts resolutely. Organization, the third; it must integrate impressions and ordinances.” Further, “Truth must be taught as the condition of right relation, courage as that of right reaction,” so that the child might learn to “know cloudlessly, dare dauntlessly, will integrally, and keep silence sublimely.” After all, “Every child is a Sphinx; none knoweth its secret but itself." (On the Education of Children)
In Crowley’s treatise on Duty, he tells us that, “to train children to perform mental operations, or to practice tasks, for which they are unfitted, is a crime against nature.” This conclusion is based on the premise that we might, “Apply the Law of Thelema to all problems of fitness, use, and development. It is a violation of the Law of Thelema to abuse the natural qualities of any animal or object by diverting it from its proper function, as determined by consideration of its history and structure.” (Duty) Further, in Magick in Theory and Practice he specifies: “This principle may be extended to all departments of the education of children. They should be put into contact with all kinds of truth, and allowed to make their own reflections thereon and reactions thereto, without the least attempt to bias their judgment.” (Magick in Theory and Practice) For Crowley, it is enough that the child’s “resources and originality are matched against divers environments,” as the child “is confronted with such problems as swimming, climbing, housework, and left to solve them in its own way. Its subconsciousness is impressed by reading literary masterpieces, which are left to infiltrate its mind automatically without selective stress or asking conscious comprehension.” In all this, the child must be trusted to navigate the exploration, with minimal interventions.
The aim education to Crowley, is quite simply to ensure that each child be provided ample opportunity maximize their innate potential. In general terms, the end of education is that it “fits individuals to encounter environment,” for “Education develops control thereof.” Thus, Crowley insists that the child “must be taught nothing except how to govern its environment.” (On the Education of Children) Crowley goes so far as to insist that we, “Submit all life for its inspection, without comment,” and that “Education should simply furnish facts, intelligible or not, of every order. Avoid comment, explanation, moral judgment; the child-mind must manage its material.” This approach seems to be based in a faith in the child’s innate inclination towards psychological development. As Crowley points out, “Young brains store sense-impressions without necessarily judging them. Higher mental faculties develop gradually. It is criminal to force growth, especially in dogmatic directions. Reflection, classification, coordination are devices of the growing mind for dealing with accumulations of detail.”
Respect the Child
Still, one might question the validity of Crowley’s assertion that “From infancy children should face facts, unadulterated by explanations.” Are we really to explain nothing to our children, or cast them out into the elements with no preparation? Of course not; at least, I certainly hope not! Again, I think his essay must be understood as an attack upon the traditional approach, whereby teacher and parents routinely impose their falsehoods upon unsuspecting children. I believe the key here is not for adults to remain completely silent regarding their personal opinions, but to refrain from presenting opinion as fact, and allow children to arrive at their own conclusions, to “Let them think and act for themselves” and “let their innate integrity initiate itself!” (On the Education of Children) In short, it is essential that we allow children sufficient liberty to develop at their own pace, in their own way; as it is imperative that adults refrain from stifling natural development by attempting to overly influence the child with personal agendas.
This hesitancy to sway the sentiments of youth is well founded, for one must always remember the fallibility of one’s own perceptions, and the faulty foundation of all conceptualizations. This realization demands humility on the part of the adult, a recognition that even the most adamant convictions may be wrong, in fact must ultimately be false, since necessarily partial. Thus Crowley says that the “most dear Consideration,” regarding “this Training of the Child… is this, that since that which can be thought is not true, every Statement is in some Sense false. Even on the Sea of pure Reason, we may say that every Statement is in some Sense disputable, there fore in every Case, even the simplest, the Child should be taught not only the Thesis, but also its opposite, leaving the Decision to the Child's own Judgment and good Sense, fortified by Experience.” Once again, the emphasis is upon experience; the child is to be confronted with the facts of life, firsthand whenever possible. Meanwhile the child is to be consistently presented with all the evidence representing opposing perspectives on any controversial issues, and encouraged to seriously entertain several positions before jumping to conclusions. Crowley goes on to say that, “this Practice will develop its Power of Thought, and its Confidence in itself, and its Interest in all Knowledge. But most of all beware against any Attempt to bias its Mind on any point that lieth without the Square of ascertained and undisputed Fact.” (Aleph) Again, one had better remember the limits of reason, and recognize the child’s right to arrive at an understanding oneself. The powers of reason are only effective as the quality of the information being processed, thus it is always best to clearly distinguish opinion from fact.
Further, one must never forget that the undisputed truths of today might well be dismissed as mere superstition tomorrow, as has been repeated again and again throughout history. Therefore, “when your teaching is of the disputable kind, explain that too; encourage him to question, to demand a reason and to disagree.” (Magick Without Tears) We should take care not to impress our opinions upon the mind of the child too forcefully, for as Crowley continues, one had best “Remember also, even when thou art most sure, that so were they sure who gave instruction to the young Copernicus. Pay Reverence also to the Unknown unto whom thou presumeth to impart the Knowledge; for he may be one greater than thou.” (Liber Aleph) Again, the foundation of the pedagogy of Thelema is respect for the child; this cannot be repeated enough. “Respect the Child” might as well be the mantra for Thelemic education. In this respect lies the fundamental difference between education and indoctrination; as to indoctrinate is to fundamentally disrespect the individuality of children, thereby eliminating any hope for genuine education within traditional institutions.
This is also the honest approach, for in truth, we are all quite fallible; any pretension otherwise is a great injustice. Alas, the shameless deception of children has been the norm throughout much of human history, for a variety of reasons; mostly in the service of securing the authority of the parents, preachers and teachers in the name of God and the State; but occasionally in the interest of the child, for better or worse. Crowley points out the way that “Most people mislead children purposely, alleging necessity to shield them,” (On the Education of Children) and most people will agree that it is popper to shield young children from certain experiences, in order to protect the child from the undue strain provoked by premature exposure to unsettling concerns. In fact, this inclination to protect the young from adult stress is well founded, especially with all the neurotic obsessions and anxieties pervasive in modern society. Still, if a parent or teacher chooses to censor some fact from the awareness of a child, one must have good reason, and always keep in mind that one must actively work towards revealing anything that has been concealed in good time; one must be specially keen to intuit when the child is ready, lest one miss the crucial opportunity, and unwittingly stunt the child’s development by withholding essential information when it is needed most.
Crowley goes on to warn, “One falsehood confuses correct conceptions; the brain, bewildered, soon finds conflicting evidence. The contradiction between observed facts and teaching revolts its righteousness. Children distrust the Universe; intelligence revolts; years of aching uncertainty avenge the original deception.” Thus are children consistently led astray by adults, often well-meaning. Further, “Children are also trained to falsify, sophisticate, deny or forget facts; forbidden to face them. Wielding wrong weapons, they encounter unknown or misguided enemies. Nature turns traitor; they distrust themselves.” (On the Education of Children) As a bottom line, adults should avoid lying to children at all costs, for every child has a right to the truth. Of course, I will not deny that there are certainly exceptions to this rule, but will say that if one takes care to ensure that a child’s exposure to certain realities is gradual, and developmentally appropriate, one will rarely, if ever, encounter a circumstance where it might be deemed necessary to lie to a child.
The Great Balancing Act
We are taught in the Book of Balance, “Learn first... that Equilibrium is the basis of the Work,” is it not the foundation of education, as well? The book continues, “If thou thyself hast not a sure foundation, whereon wilt thou stand to direct the forces of Nature?” Similarly, without balance, a child will be completely lost, hopelessly subject to the compulsions of chance and whim. As “man is born into this world amidst the Darkness of Matter, and the strife of contending forces; so must his first endeavour be to seek the Light through their reconciliation.” (Liber Librae) This equilibrium, therefore, may be understood as both the aim and method of Thelemic education. “Concerning Children,” Crowley says in his Book of Wisdom and Folly, that “it is a Balance like that of the Egg,” which the parent or teacher must take care to nurture, for “the Violence of a Columbus will but crack the tender Shell which we must first of all preserve.” (Liber Aleph)
The authoritarian imposition of arbitrary demands upon the child, stifles a child’s development, by inhibiting the Will to learn. Nevertheless, the permissive indifference of some reactionary parents and teachers verges on negligence, and robs children of vital feedback and opportunities for learning. This is but one example of “the Paradox” that Crowley refers to, saying “that there are Bonds which lead to Slavery, and Bonds which lead to Freedom. All we are bound in many Fetters by Environment, and it is for ourselves in great Part to determine whether they shall enslave us or emancipate us.” (Liber Aleph) If ours is to be an education of emancipation, it must be founded upon balance, reconciliation and equilibrium; only thus, might we liberate the child to Love and do as one Will.
In this way, balance may be understood as the secret key to the Pedagogy of Thelema, which unlocks a window into the world of childhood, so that we might better respond to the child, as one is, in a way fitting for each experience. Crowley tells us, “It is the same with Food and Drink, with Exercise, with Learning itself, the Problem is ever to bring the Appetite into right Relation with the Will. Thus thou mayst fast or feast; there is no Rule than that of Balance.” (Liber Aleph) By practicing balance in our parenting and teaching styles, not only are we more inclined towards an appropriate response; more importantly, we are modeling this balance, and thereby demonstrating that equilibrium we wish to teach. We would do well to remember the way of one “that willeth to exceed in Speed or in Battle, how he denieth himself the Food he craveth, and all Pleasures natural to him, putting himself under the harsh Order of a Trainer. So by this Bondage he hath, at the last, his Will.” This serves as a great example of how the need for balance may look different for each individual, yet remain a constant necessity for all.
I imagine everyone knows many people, who by natural, or voluntary, “Restriction have come each to greater Liberty.” Indeed, we might recognize this as “a general Law of Biology, for all Development is Structuralization; that is, a Limitation and Specialization of an originally indeterminate Protoplasm, which latter may therefore be called free.” Consequently, children not only require, but crave, certain limitations, for success and security. Every child is intuitively aware of its immaturity, at least of the body and its inabilities, and naturally reveres the superior strength and cunning of adults; ardently seeking guidance, by carefully observing the manners of elders, hoping to glean any clues as to how one might enter in to that world, which still feels so overwhelming.
As it is the Will of every child to grow to adulthood, not only physically, but emotionally and mentally; it is crucial that parents and teachers do their part to initiate their children into the ways of the world, since that will be there destiny, after all. Thus reasonable efforts need be made to prepare them for their ultimate fate, that gradually they might come to feel at home, not only with family, but in the greater society. To this end, we might teach children, that “there is no Part of Knowledge which is foreign to thee,” so that they come to understand their place in the universe. Alas, knowledge will remain meaningless, until thoroughly integrated within oneself, for “Knowledge itself is of no avail unless it be assimilated and co-ordinated into Understanding.” (Liber Aleph) Thus we aim not at knowledge for its own sake, but as a means to understanding; for only in coordinating knowledge with understanding, will one attain wisdom, in the light of Truth. Therefore is understanding, ever the aim of education; as balance is the method. Then the child might advance in learning with a sure footing, and come of age with grace and confidence.
In this way, we might encourage the child, to “Grow therefore, easily and spontaneously, developing all Parts equally, lest thou become a Monster. And if one Thing tempt thee overmuch, correct it by Devotion to its Opposite until Equilibrium be re-established. But seek not to grow by sudden Determination toward Things that be far from thee; only, if such a Thing come into thy Thought, construct a Bridge thereunto, and take firmly the first Step upon the Bridge.” (Liber Aleph) In this way, the child is led, step by step, into the world, at their own pace, in their own way. None can tell the child just how to grow, for one must always follow the Law of Nature, unfolding within. To try to impose any Law of Society, which goes against this Nature, no matter how well-intentioned, is to thwart the development, and thus the Will of the Child. Alas, persistence in this folly leads not to wisdom, but to ruin, as children are thereby prevented from arriving at genuine understanding, and are therefore doomed to become lost in confusion. Rather, the folly which leads to wisdom, is the trial and error of the child’s own mistakes, and consequent learning.
Against the tendency to impose alien ideals upon children, so prevalent in common education, the Thelemic educator works relentlessly, to ground every lesson in the personal experience of each child; so that knowledge might be steadily accumulated upon a firm foundation. In explanation of this process, Crowley gives the following example, “Dost thou speculate upon the Motives of the Stars, and on their Elements, their Size and Weight? Then thou must first gain Knowledge of Doctrine mathematical, of Laws physical and chemical. So then first, that thou mayst understand clearly the Nature of thine whole Work, map out thy Mind, and extend its Powers from the essential outwards, from the near to the far, always with Firmness and great Thoroughness, making every Link in thy Chain equal and perfect.” (Liber Aleph) Thus by taking the time to be thorough, in drawing connections in education, the child might rapidly progress in terms of understanding, even if one appears to be lagging behind in mere memorization of facts and figures. The key here, is that each new bit of information be allowed to take root, and grow in the mind of the child, in time flowering and coming to fruition.
Now one might rightly conclude that the way to achieve balance in education, is to make sure that all learning is centered upon the child; that education is child centered in the most profound sense. Thus, the child might always be ready to learn the next thing, whatever it is that compels the attention, without hindrance. This also leads the child to find one’s own place, at the center of the universe, where all things may be understood in relation to oneself. For, as Crowley says, “the Centre is the Point of Balance of all Vectors,” so it is that the child might come to know oneself as but one point in an infinite universe, wherein each point is its own center, perfectly balanced within itself, and everything else. “So then,” Crowley goes on to say, “if thy wilt live wisely, learn that thou must establish this Relation of Balance with every Thing soever, not omitting one. For there is nothing so alien from thy Nature that it may not be brought into harmonious Relation therewith.” In truth, there is no part of oneself that is not of the universe, and in some sense, one might recognize the Universe as the True Self, of which the individual is merely as atom.
Further, “there is nothing so close Kin to thee it may not be hurtful to thee if this Balance is not truly adjusted. Thou hast need of the whole Force of the Universe to work with thy Will; but this Force must be disposed about the Shaft of that Will so that there is no Tendency to Hindrance or to Deflection.” (Liber Aleph) In this way children might be educated in the ways of the world, as to the way of oneself, so that one might reach adulthood, fully prepared to respond to the challenges of life, without fear; thus, “thy Stature of Manhood waxeth great even as thou comest to the Perfection of this Art.” (Liber Aleph) Such is the way of Thelema, whereby one comes to perfect the art and science of the Will. As it is said, the “adepts stand upright; their head above the heavens, their feet below the hells,” (Liber Tzaddi) so it is that the trunk of the tree must be deeply rooted beneath the soil, if its branches are to reach high into the sky, to mingle with the birds in the clouds. So it is with the education of children.
The Wisdom of Folly
Now, it must be understood that Crowley was an extremist, in every sense of the word; he was extreme even in his pursuit of balance. Thus a disclaimer may be in order, stating emphatically that parents and teachers, as the natural guardians of childhood, may be held accountable for the safety are suffering of the children they supervise, as they should be. I solemnly advise all Thelemites who might choose to raise, or work with, children, to be aware of the gravity of their obligation. In choosing this vocation, or life path, one is essentially vowing to put the health and well-being of the child first in all interactions; as one must never abuse or neglect those we are sworn to care for; especially those naturally dependent upon adults for survival. Thus, I am inclined to insert a sort of Hippocratic Oath into the pedagogy of Thelema: First do no harm, then do as you Will. Of course, “There is no law beyond do what thou wilt,” (Liber AL) but one must recognize that the Will is no idle whim, and that which ultimately leads to ruin is the Will of no one.
That said, it should be mentioned that Crowley was never a proponent of playing it safe. To the contrary, he tells us to “Live Dangerously.” Within reason, children need ample opportunity to take chances, so that they might learn and grow from their own mistakes, and be afforded the joy of conquest in their own success. As far as possible, Thelemic educators ought to entice their students to experiment and explore the environment, and challenge them try new things and think in novel ways. As Crowley goes onto say, “Thy meanest Foe is the Inertia of the Mind. Men do hate most those things which touch them closely, and they fear Light, and persecute the Torchbearers. Do thou therefore analyse most fully all those Ideas which Men avoid; for the Truth shall dissolve Fear.” (Liber Aleph) Thus, one task of Thelemic education is to condition the mind to remain open, and receptive to all information, especially that which challenges cherished beliefs and hardened opinions.
Yet in provoking children to consider all angles of any controversy, the adult would do well to remain playful, so as to avoid antagonism, and retain the relationship of fellow traveler, rather than an instructor, in the traditional sense. It is best, whenever possible, to pursue the unknown in the spirit of adventure, not as something foreboding or threatening; thus the child might come to crave the next quest, seeing the difficulties not as something to avoid, but as something to pursue. Crowley continues, “Rightly indeed Men say that the Unknown is terrible; but wrongly do they fear lest it become the Known.” Indeed, the unknown is only dangerous insofar as it remains unknown; therefore the unknown must be pursued relentlessly, if one hopes to overcome the limitations of ignorance and superstition. In this way, the Thelemic educator might lead the child towards a discovery of the right use of all things, whatsoever, for “Every Thing has its right Use; and thou art great as thou hast Use of Things.” (Liber Aleph) Thus, the child might come, not only to know, but be able to do the Will, without anything getting in the way unnecessarily; for when everything is properly understood, nothing is out of place, and all is pregnant with potential for progress.
In teaching children to be courageous in confronting life head on, we may want to lead them to discriminate between the well founded fear of a serious risk, which could result in disaster or even death; in contrast to the long list of anxieties and phobias, that are merely perpetuated by the artificial restraints of various social pressures to conform to traditional superstitions. One would be wise to teach children to proceed with caution when dealing with the former; only risking life when absolutely necessary, and always weighing the chances, the costs and benefits, when gambling with a substantial loss. The latter, on the other hand, posing no serious threat to life or limb, livelihood or well-being, one might as well make a game of this, by regularly encouraging public acts of weirdness, or otherwise demonstrating the wide range of possibilities afforded to one unconstrained by conformity.
“Moreover,” encourages Crowley, “do thou all Acts of which the common Sort beware, save where thou hast already full knowledge, that thou mayest learn Use and Control, not falling into Abuse and Slavery.” Alas, the compulsion to conform lies at the root of all abuse and slavery, so what better way to combat such oppression, than to foster nonconformity; is not a refusal to conform, at the core of civil disobedience, the patriotic duty of a free people in response to political injustice. Of course, this is not to say one should chance the loss of liberties without good cause, just that citizens had better learn when to submit to a law or custom, and when to rebel against them, if they hope to secure their rights and freedom. In any case, as Crowley points out, “the Coward and the Foolhardy shall not live out their Days,” so that the goal is always the golden mean of genuine balance. Still, it is common knowledge that few, if any, ever attain to true equilibrium, so that Crowley urges, “if thou must err, being human, err by excess of courage rather than of Caution.” (Liber Aleph) To be overly cautious, when life calls for decisive action, leads to stagnation; whereas being excessively courageous, while certainly dangerous, at least keeps one engaged in the process, and thereby better able to adapt.
Further, we would do well to teach children, not only to respect cultural diversity, but eccentricity; to recognize the right of every individual to a unique expression of the personality. Of course, this will then embolden the child to be eccentric, without fear of disapproval or discrimination. In a style typical of Crowley, he makes the following declaration, “Evolution demands exceptional individuals, fitter to their environment than their fellows. Species prosper by imitating efficient eccentrics.” Now, it cannot be denied that this statement reeks of the social-Darwinism so popular in his day. In this spirit, he carries on, “Mediocrity, self-styled morality, protects the unfit, but prevents progress, discourages adaptability, and assures ultimate ruin to the race.” (On the Education of Children) It should be stated outright, that the social-Darwinian obsession with obtaining some ideal of fitness, is misguided at best, and ultimately counter-productive.
At least in regards to human evolution, there is no clear indicator of who is the “fittest,” for civilization has developed such complexity, that only the greatest diversity can ensure the survival of our species. At any rate, there is no way of knowing just what sort of traits might prove advantageous in confronting future catastrophes; it may be that those thought to be “fit” by current standards, will be ineffective in a different situation. Further, this line of thinking, of judging the value of people based on some strategic advantage, is toxic; naturally leading to discrimination, if not to eugenics and genocide, in the end.
Still, one had better be on guard against settling for mediocrity, once we realize that every individual has the capacity to be exceptional, each in their own way. Yet the most efficient way ensure that everyone excels, to their maximum potential, is simply to allow them to be themselves; then each might do that they are truly inspired to do, and do that better than they could ever hope to do anything else. Alas, the compulsion to pretend to be anyone other than who one is, is that “self-styled morality” that “prevents progress, discourages adaptability, and assures ultimate ruin” of a society. Thus, the Thelemic educator needs to take care not to dominate the development of any child, with the imposition of external expectations; rather, all the aims of education must ultimately arise within the soul of the child, with parents and teachers doing their best to foster interests and ambitions, by consistently informing and encouraging their children, to learn and grow, as far as possible, any way they can.
“Love is the law, love under will.”
