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In the esoteric philosophy of Thelema, founded by Aleister Crowley in the early 20th century, an Aeon is a period of time defined by distinct spiritual and cultural characteristics, each accompanied by its own forms of magical and religious expression.[1] Thelemites believe that the history of humanity is divided into a series of these Aeons, each governed by a particular deity or archetype that embodies the spiritual formula of the era.
The first of these was the Aeon of Isis, associated with prehistory, a time when humanity revered a Great Goddess, symbolised by the ancient Egyptian deity Isis. This was followed by the Aeon of Osiris, spanning the classical and medieval periods, during which the worship of a singular male god, represented by Osiris, dominated, reflecting patriarchal values.[2]
The current Aeon, known as the Aeon of Horus, is believed to have begun in 1904 with the reception of The Book of the Law (Liber AL vel Legis), which Crowley maintained was dictated to him by a praeterhuman intelligence named Aiwass. The Aeon of Horus, frequently referred to as simply the Aeon and symbolised by the child god Horus, is seen as a time of greater consciousness, individual sovereignty, and spiritual awakening. Thelemites believe that this Aeon represents a departure from the constraints and dogmas of the previous Aeon, particularly the influence of the Abrahamic religions, and heralds an era of self-actualisation and the realisation of human potential.[2]
Within Thelema, each Aeon is characterised by its own specific magical formula, which is fundamental to the practice and understanding of Thelemic Magick. The transition between these Aeons is understood not merely as a change in religious or cultural practices, but as a profound shift in the underlying spiritual paradigm that governs human existence.[3]
- ^ DuQuette 2003, p. 15.
- ^ a b Bogdan 2012.
- ^ DuQuette 2003, p. 14.