The Order traces it's own history to the foundation of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.[1] Through the Golden Dawn's founders, Woodman, Westcott, and Mathers, the A∴ A∴ traces it's history further back to the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia and beyond.
Both of A∴ A∴'s founders were members of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. George Cecil Jones was initiated a Neophyte in July 1895, and was initiated an Adeptus Minor in January 1897. Aleister Crowley was initiated a Neophyte in November 1898, and was initiated an Adeptus Minor in January 1900. Both remained members of the Order until "scandal and schism" lead to its destruction.[1]
In November 1907, they decided to found an occult order to act as a successor to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The result was the A∴ A∴. The structure of the new Order largely reflected with minor changes it's inheritance from the HOGD and the SRIA. It's curriculum, on the other hand, was largely updated.[2]
Onde notable change in structure between A∴ A∴ and it's predecessors is the greater emphasis on the student-instructor personal relationship. In "The Equinox" we read how "The Chancellor of the A ∴ A ∴ views without satisfaction the practice of Probationers working together. A Probationer should work with his Neophyte, or alone".[3]
With Crowley's death in December 1947, the Order's leadership passed to Karl Germer.[4] He signed the Oath of a Probationer at an unknown date. In February 1935, he was jailed by German police for his association and support of Aleister Crowley. In 1938, Crowley recognized his attainment to the grade of Magister Templi.
Germer did not appoint a successor in the leadership of the Order. After his death in October 1962, surviving members of the Order have continued the work independently, by maintaining and continuing the chain of student-instructor relationships.
One such lineage descends from Crowley's student, actress Jane Wolfe (known as Soror Estai).[5] Soror Estai's one student, Phyllis Seckler (Soror Meral), founded College of Thelema in 1973 and (with James A. Eshelman and Anna-Kria King) founded Temple of Thelema in 1987.[6] She designated Eshelman as her successor in the Jane Wolfe branch of A∴ A∴ and as chancellor of College of Thelema. Later, she also affirmed David Shoemaker's authority to "admit, supervise, and train" A∴ A∴ initiates.[7]
Several lineages run through pupils of Marcelo Ramos Motta, such as Ray Eales,[8] David Berson[9] and Daniel J. Gunther[10] Motta was a student of Germer[citation needed]. Another lineage links itself to Crowley through Israel Regardie and his pupil Gerald Suster, claiming that Regardie joined the A∴ A∴ when he became Crowley’s secretary in 1928, but distanced himself from the organization when the two men parted company four years later in 1932.[11] Other lineages run through Grady McMurtry, Charles Stansfeld Jones, and there is a lineage descended from Frank Bennett and Rosaleen Norton operating in Australia.[12] There are also 'independent' A∴ A∴ lineages that either don't descend from the pupils of Crowley or that choose to declare their link. There presently exists no single undisputed central authority of the A∴ A∴ such as existed under Crowley and Germer; nor has any surviving mechanism for the transference of such temporal authority been preserved down to the present day.
- ^ a b "The History Lection", in "Liber LXI vel Causæ", in "The Holy Books of Thelema", Weiser, Maine, 1983, ISBN 0-87728-686-8.
- ^ James Eshelman, "The Magical & Mystical System of the A∴ A∴", College of Thelema, ????, ????, ISBN ????
- ^ "The Equinox", volume I, number 7, front pages, ????, ????
- ^ "In a June 1947 letter to the most loyal of his disciples, Crowley specified that Germer should succeed him in the leadership of the O.T.O." Sutin, Do what thou wilt: A life of Aleister Crowley, 2002 edition, p. 419. Online copy of a 1941 letter gives him authority in the O.T.O. and A∴A∴
- ^ Order's website, web version of article from In the Continuum, Vol. V, No. 10 (Autumnal Equinox, 1996 E.V.)
- ^ James A. Eshelman, The Mystical and Magical System of the A.'.A.'.: The Spiritual System of Aleister Crowley and George Cecil Jones Step-by-Step. Los Angeles: The College of Thelema, Dec 1993 (1st hardcover edition 2000), Book Jacket.
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Our heritage - To Mega Therion - Frater Saturnus - Frater Ever - Frater 939.'." http://www.hoor.org,
- ^ http://www.castletower.org
- ^ Gunther. Initiation in the Aeon of the Child. p. 15.
- ^ Regardie (3rd ed. 1998) p. xv-xvii
- ^ Richmond pp. 5-6, 15