John Dee

Aleister Crowley After an unsuccessful attempt to climb Kanchenjunga and a visit to India and China, Crowley returned to Britain, where he attracted attention as a prolific author of poetry, novels, and occult literature. In 1907, he and George Cecil Jones co-founded a Thelemite order, the A∴A∴, through which they propagated the religion. After spending time in Algeria, in 1912 he was initiated into another esoteric order, the German-based Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO), rising to become the leader of its British branch, which he reformulated in accordance with his Thelemite beliefs. Through the OTO, Thelemite groups were established in Britain, Australia, and North America. He spent the First World War in the United States, where he took up painting and campaigned for the German war effort against Britain, later revealing that he had infiltrated the pro-German movement at the behest of the British intelligence services. Early life[edit] Youth: 1875–94[edit] Cambridge University: 1895–98[edit] Had! [edit]

Hermeneutics Hermes, messenger of the gods. Hermeneutics /hɜrməˈnjuːtɪks/ is the theory of text interpretation, especially the interpretation of biblical texts, wisdom literature, and philosophical texts.[1][2] The terms "hermeneutics" and "exegesis" are sometimes used interchangeably. Hermeneutics is a wider discipline that includes written, verbal, and nonverbal communication. Exegesis focuses primarily upon texts. Hermeneutic, as a singular noun, refers to a single particular method or strand of interpretation (see, in contrast, double hermeneutic). The understanding of any written text requires hermeneutics.[3] Hermeneutics initially applied to the interpretation, or exegesis, of scripture. Etymology[edit] Hermeneutics is derived from the Greek word ἑρμηνεύω (hermeneuō, 'translate' or 'interpret').[6] It was introduced into philosophy mainly through the title of Aristotle's work On Interpretation, commonly referred to by its Latin title De Interpretatione. Folk etymology[edit] Apostolic Age[edit]

Lord Byron English Romantic poet and lyricist (1788-1824) He travelled extensively across Europe, especially in Italy, where he lived for seven years in the cities of Venice, Ravenna, and Pisa. During his stay in Italy he frequently visited his friend and fellow poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.[7] Later in life Byron joined the Greek War of Independence fighting the Ottoman Empire and died leading a campaign during that war, for which Greeks revere him as a folk hero.[8] He died in 1824 at the age of 36 from a fever contracted after the First and Second Sieges of Missolonghi. His only legitimate child, Ada Lovelace, is regarded as a founding figure in the field of computer programming based on her notes for Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine.[9][10][11] Byron's extramarital children include Allegra Byron, who died in childhood, and possibly Elizabeth Medora Leigh, daughter of his half-sister Augusta Leigh. Family and early life[edit] Upon the death of Byron's mother-in-law Judith Noel, the Hon. [edit]

Edward Kelley English alchemist Legends began to surround Kelley shortly after his death. His flamboyant biography, his relationships with Queen Elizabeth I's royal magus Sir John Dee and the Emperor Rudolf II, and his claims of great alchemical skill and the ability to communicate with angels have all led to his relative notoriety among historians. Biography[edit] Birth and early career[edit] Much of Kelley's early life is obscure. With Dee in England[edit] Kelley married a widow, Jane (or Joanna) Cooper of Chipping Norton (1563–1606). About a year after entering into Dee's service, Kelley appeared with an alchemical book (The Book of Dunstan) and a quantity of a red powder which, Kelley claimed, he and a certain John Blokley had been led to by a "spiritual creature" at Northwick Hill. With Dee on the Continent[edit] In 1583, Dee became acquainted with Olbracht Łaski, a Polish nobleman interested in alchemy. Apogee and fall[edit] The Enochian language[edit] Notes[edit] References[edit] External links[edit]

Chaos magic The chaosphere is a popular symbol of chaos magic. Many variants exist. For more, see Symbol of Chaos. General principles[edit] Chaos magicians are often seen by other occultists as dangerous or worrisome revolutionaries.[2] History[edit] Origins and creation[edit] This magical discipline was first formulated in West Yorkshire, England in the 1970s.[4] A meeting between Peter J. Influences[edit] Following Spare's death, magicians continued to experiment outside of traditional magical orders. Early days[edit] The first edition of Liber Null does not include the term "chaos magic", but only refers to magic or "the magic art" in general.[6] Texts from this period consistently claim to state principles universal to magic, as opposed to a new specific style or tradition of magic, and describe their innovations as efforts to rid magic of superstitious and religious ideas. Chaos came to be part of this movement defined as "the 'thing' responsible for the origin and continued action of events[...].

Hermeticism Hermeticism, also called Hermetism,[1][2] is a religious and philosophical tradition based primarily upon pseudepigraphical writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus ("Thrice Great").[3] These writings have greatly influenced the Western esoteric tradition and were considered to be of great importance during both the Renaissance[4] and the Reformation.[5] The tradition claims descent from a prisca theologia, a doctrine which affirms that a single, true theology exists which is present in all religions and was given by God to man in antiquity.[6][7] Many Christian writers, including Emerson, Lactantius, Thomas of Aquinas, Augustine, Giordano Bruno, Marsilio Ficino, Campanella and Giovanni Pico della Mirandola considered Hermes Trismegistus to be a wise pagan prophet who foresaw the coming of Christianity.[8][9] Much of the importance of Hermeticism arises from its connection with the development of science during the time from 1300 to 1600 A.D. Etymology[edit] History[edit] Cosmogony[edit]

Hermeticism Philosophy based on the teachings of Hermes Trismegistus Hermeticism, or Hermetism, is a philosophical system that is primarily based on the purported teachings of Hermes Trismegistus (a legendary Hellenistic combination of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth).[1] These teachings are contained in the various writings attributed to Hermes (the Hermetica), which were produced over a period spanning many centuries (c. 300 BCE – 1200 CE), and may be very different in content and scope.[2] In 1964, Frances A. Throughout its history, Hermeticism was closely associated with the idea of a primeval, divine wisdom, revealed only to the most ancient of sages, such as Hermes Trismegistus.[10] In the Renaissance, this developed into the notion of a prisca theologia or "ancient theology", which asserted that there is a single, true theology which was given by God to some of the first humans, and traces of which may still be found in various ancient systems of thought. Etymology[edit]

Edgar Allan Poe American writer and critic (1809–1849) Edgar Allan Poe (né Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, author, editor, and literary critic who is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is widely regarded as a central figure of Romanticism and Gothic fiction in the United States, and of American literature.[1] Poe was one of the country's earliest practitioners of the short story, and is considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre, as well as a significant contributor to the emerging genre of science fiction. Poe was born in Boston, the second child of actors David and Elizabeth "Eliza" Poe.[4] His father abandoned the family in 1810, and when his mother died the following year, Poe was taken in by John and Frances Allan of Richmond, Virginia. Poe and his works influenced literature around the world, as well as specialized fields such as cosmology and cryptography. Military career Death

Inês de Castro Inês de Castro (Portuguese pronunciation: [iˈneʃ dˈkaʃtɾu]; in Castilian: Inés; 1325 – 7 January 1355) was a Galician noblewoman best known as lover and posthumously-recognized wife of King Peter I of Portugal. The dramatic circumstances of her relationship with Peter (at the time Prince of Portugal), which was forbidden by his father King Afonso IV, her murder at the orders of Afonso, Peter's bloody revenge on her killers, and the legend of the coronation of her exhumed corpse by Peter, have made Inês de Castro a frequent subject of art, music, and drama through the ages. Biography[edit] Inês was the natural daughter of Pedro Fernández de Castro, Lord of Lemos and Sarria, and his noble Portuguese mistress Aldonça Lourenço de Valadares.[1] Her family descended both from the Galician and Portuguese nobilities. She was also well connected to the Castilian royal family, by illegitimate descent. Constance of Castile died in 1345. Peter became king of Portugal in 1357 (Peter I of Portugal).

Theosophy Theosophy comes from the Greek theosophia (θεοσοφία), which combines theos (θεός), "God"[3] and sophia (σοφία), "wisdom," meaning "divine wisdom." From the late 19th century onwards, the term theosophy has generally been used to refer to the religio-philosophic doctrines of the Theosophical Society, founded in New York City in 1875 by Helena Blavatsky, William Quan Judge, and Henry Steel Olcott. Blavatsky's major work, The Secret Doctrine (1888), was one of the foundational works of modern theosophy.[4] As of 2015[update], members of organizations descended from, or related to, the Theosophical Society were active in more than 52 countries around the world.[a] Modern theosophy has also given rise to, or influenced, the development of other mystical, philosophical, and religious movements.[5] Etymology[edit] The term theosophia appeared (in both Greek and Latin) in the works of early church fathers, as a synonym for theology:[6] the theosophoi are "those who know divine matters Theosophy:

Helena Petrovna Blavatsky Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (russisk: Елена Петровна Блаватская - Jelena Petrovna Blavatskaja), også kalt Madame Blavatsky, født Helena von Hahn (født 31. julijul./ 12. august 1831greg. i Jekaterinoslav, død 8. mai 1891 i London) var en russisk okkultist og mystiker som gjennom sine skrifter la grunnlaget for den moderne teosofien og for organisasjonen Teosofisk Samfunn. I 1878 ble hun amerikansk statsborger. Madame Blavatsky var en fargerik kvinne som ble det nittende århundres viktigste esoteriske filosof. Hennes arbeide med å forene østlige og vestlige esoteriske tradisjoner har lagt grunnlaget for mange nyere religiøse tendenser og grupperinger. Mange av våre dagers nyreligiøse retninger bygger på Madame Blavatskys teosofi. Biografi[rediger | rediger kilde] Familie[rediger | rediger kilde] Helena Petrovna von Hahn ble født natt til den 31. juli 1831 i byen Jekaterinoslav i Ukraina, som den gangen var en provins i det russiske imperiet. Barndom og oppvekst[rediger | rediger kilde] H.