Thelema, the spiritual philosophy introduced by Aleister Crowley, offers a profound vision of reality centered on the concept of True Will—an individual’s unique, divinely ordained purpose. Far more than a system of ethics, Thelema presents a fundamental theory of the universe, asserting that existence is shaped by the interplay between Nuit, the infinite potential, and Hadit, the singularity of the self. This duality reflects the ongoing process of manifestation and change, where each individual expresses their divine nature as a star within this vast cosmic framework. By exploring Thelema’s metaphysical foundations and theological insights, we gain a deeper understanding of the journey toward self-realization and the liberation that comes from aligning with one’s True Will.
The Thelemic Theory of Reality
At the heart of Thelema is the concept of True Will, which is each individual’s unique, divinely ordained purpose. The central dictum of Thelema, “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law,” encapsulates this idea. That being said, Thelema is not only or even primarily a theory of ethics. It is a fundamental theory of reality. As Crowley explained in his 1938 Introduction to the Book of the Law, “This Book explains the Universe.”
The elements of the Thelemic theory of reality are Nuit and Hadit. Nuit represents infinite possibility, while Hadit represents unique individuality. Crowley refers to them in the New Comment on AL III.22 as “incommensurables and absolutes”. They exceed the grasp of the mind. Physical space and the point offer approximations to the imagination, while the mathematical notions of the infinitely great and the infinitely small offer approximations to the intellect.
Nuit and Hadit in turn are expressions of a more fundamental unity of reality which Crowley refers to as the Qabalistic Zero. In his early philosophical essay, “Berashith,” Crowley represents the Qabalistic Zero by the mathematical figure 00, which he defines as “nothingness extended in no categories”. This ultimate, unfathomable nothingness expresses itself dualistically through the pair Nuit and Hadit, similar to the way in which Yin and Yang express the Tao.
Nuit and Hadit both express the ultimate unity of the Qabalistic Zero, but in complementary ways. Nuit expresses the unity of being. Any division within her is merely illusory. By contrast, Hadit expresses the unity of the unique individual. Nuit is that by which all things are one thing; Hadit is that by which each thing is what it is and nothing else. So while Nuit expresses Herself as the indivisibility of reality, Hadit expresses Himself as an irreducible plurality of perspectives on that reality.
According to the New Comment on AL I.1, the “central truth” of the Thelemic philosophy is that Nuit and Hadit never exist apart. They are necessarily united with one another. Every conjunction of Nuit and Hadit actualizes some possibility latent in Nuit. It gives rise to an event. Since Nuit and Hadit are necessarily conjoined, this means that ultimate reality is not simply in a state of constant change. It is constant change.
In his “Introduction,” Crowley refers to the aggregate of experiences belonging to a single Hadit as a star, after the third verse of the first chapter of the Book of the Law which reads, “Every man and every woman is a star.” The star is represented by the deity Ra-Hoor-Khuit.
The universe according to Thelemic theory can be viewed from one of two perspectives. It can be looked at from the perspective of its ultimate unity, in which case it is nothingness. Or it can be looked at from the side of manifestation or duality, in which case the universe is nothing but gods. Crowley refers to the theory which unites these two perspectives as 0=2.
Thelemic Theology
Because Hadit expresses Himself as a plurality of centers or perspectives, the Thelemic theory of reality supports a polytheistic theology. This is not the type of polytheism one finds in ancient religions. Crowley is not saying that the world has gods in it alongside mortals, living things, inanimate objects, and social conventions. The theory implies that ultimate reality is gods all the way down.
Furthermore, each god is absolute and unconditioned. It is a reality unto itself. As he says in the New Comment on AL I.4:
This is a great and holy mystery. Although each star has its own number, each number is equal and supreme. Every man and every woman is not only a part of God, but the Ultimate God. ‘The Centre is everywhere and the circumference nowhere’. The old definition of God takes new meaning for us. Each one of us is the One God…
And yet when we observe the world, we do not find a universe of gods. We find a universe full of things, people, customs, and conventions. When we look at ourselves, we do not find an unlimited, all-powerful, immortal being. We find, as Crowley puts it somewhat pessimistically in Magick in Theory and Practice, “a perishable parasite, bred of the earth’s crust, crawling irritably upon it for a span, and at last returning to the dirt whence he sprang.”
The world we perceive ourselves in is not ultimate reality, and the selves we perceive ourselves to be are not our true selves. Our true selves are gods that exist independently of space and time. In order to experience themselves and their respective universes, these stars or gods represent themselves dualistically. They project mortal avatars of themselves into spacetime. We are those avatars. We’re like characters in a video game. If we come to understand the true nature of ourselves and our reality, we will be freed from fear and freed to savor our lives more deeply and with greater appreciation and love. But to get there requires us to undergo a process of liberation first.
Thelemic Liberation
When a star creates a mortal projection of itself—a process Crowley refers to as the miracle of incarnation—it also creates a divine double of that mortal self. This divine double or Holy Guardian Angel serves as an intermediary between the mortal self and the star. It calls the mortal self back to recognition of its true nature, which lies beyond space and time through the gateway of the unconscious.
Using the language of the Kabbalah, Crowley sometimes refers to the mortal self as the Daughter or Heh-final of Tetragrammaton and the Holy Guardian Angel as the Son or Vau of Tetragrammaton. The path of realization of one’s true nature is dramatized as the Son exalting the Daughter to the throne of the Mother (Heh of Tetragrammaton). This represents a radical opening of the unconscious—and in particular the sex instinct—to the influence of the star, which is called the All-Father or Yod of Tetragrammaton. One becomes body and soul a “whore” to the divine within.
Crowley will also sometimes refer to this process as the Great Work. This is an alchemical metaphor in which one purifies the first matter (one’s own self) so as to discover and exalt its essence (Hadit). He will also sometimes refer to this as union with God or unification of subject and object.
Crowley describes the same process somewhat less metaphorically in the New Comment of AL I.37:
1. Furnish your mind as completely as possible with the knowledge of how to inspect and to control it.
2. Train your body to obey your mind, and not to distract its attention.
3. Control your mind to devote itself wholly to discover your true Will.
4. Explore the course of that Will till you reach its source, your Silent Self.
5. Unite the conscious will with the true Will, and the conscious Ego with the Silent Self. You must be utterly ruthless in discarding any atom of consciousness which is hostile or neutral.
6. Let this work freely from within, but heed not your environment, lest you make difference between one thing and another. Whatever it be, it is to be made one with you by Love.
Summary
In Thelemic philosophy, True Will is the fundamental concept that guides an individual toward their divinely ordained purpose. This theory of reality is deeply connected to the dualistic expressions of Nuit and Hadit, which symbolize infinite possibility and unique individuality, respectively. Together, they reveal that reality is not static but in a constant state of change, where every individual (or star) manifests their divine potential. The universe, therefore, can be seen as both a unified nothingness and an infinite plurality of gods. This dynamic reality shapes Thelemic theology and informs the path of liberation, wherein individuals awaken to their true divine nature. Through union with their Holy Guardian Angel, they transcend the limitations of their mortal self and achieve deeper freedom and fulfillment.