Initiation in the Aeon of the Child: The Inward Journey [Hardcover]

J Daniel Gunther (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2009

In 1904, The Book of the Law declared the advent of a new period in the course of human history - The Aeon of Horus or Aeon of the Child. The doctrine codified in The Book of the Law and the numerous other Holy Books known as Thelma revealed Aleister Crowley as the Prophet of the new Aeon.

In this ground-breaking book, author J. Daniel Gunther provides a penetrating and cohesive analysis of the spiritual doctrine underlying and informing the Aeon of the Child, and the sublime formulas of Initiation encountered by those who would probe its mysteries. Drawing on more than 30 years of experiences as a student and teacher within the Order of the A;. A;. the author examines the doctrinal thread of Thelema in its historical, religious, and practical context.

This book is written in clear, precise language that will aid those students who seek to navigate the difficult terrain of the spiritual quest. More advanced students will find tantalizing clues to serve as guideposts and eventual confirmation of direct experience.

With numerous diagrams and detailed references encompassing ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic texts, the Apocrypha, the Old and New Testaments, alchemy, hermetic Qabalah, and tarot, as well as the writings of Carl Jung and Aleister Crowley.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

J. Daniel Gunther is a life-long student of esotericism, mythology, and religion. A longtime member of A;. A;., the teaching Order established by Aleister Crowley, he is considered one of the foremost authorities in the field, and serves on the editorial board of The Equinox, and acts as a consultant and adviser for numerous occult publications.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Ibis Press (2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892541458
• ISBN-13: 978-0892541454
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #672,820 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

J. DANIEL GUNTHER is a life-long student of esotericism, mythology, psychology & religion. For over thirty years he has been a member of A.'.A.'., the teaching Order established by Aleister Crowley. He is considered one of the foremost authorities on the doctrines of Thelema and the syncretic method of Magick & Mysticism taught by A.'.A.'. He is on the editorial board of The Equinox, published by Weiser, and has served as consultant and advisor for numerous publications in the field of occultism. His dynamic Lectures on Thelema have been proclaimed penetrating & inspiring.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly Fascinating, December 18, 2009

By 

Steven D. Hasting "Neshamah" (Stockbridge, GA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Initiation in the Aeon of the Child: The Inward Journey (Hardcover)

Those of you who know me know that I have been involved in magick (in one form or another) since the early 1970's. I have been a member of several magickal and mystical fraternities (the Golden Dawn, Theosophy, AMORC, etc.) and have learned much from each of these relationships.

But, it has only been during the last year that I have started reading (in earnest) material written by "the Beast." For some unknown reason I felt that his work was of the "left-hand path," that it was "satanic" (whatever that means), and that it wasn't part of the direction I wanted to go.

But, back on April 16, 2009 I had occasion to read Liber AL vel Legis in order to answer a question that had been posed to me. As I read through it the more I wanted to read. Instead of reading just enough to answer the question (as I had intended) I read, instead, the entire book; and then I read it again; and then I felt confused.

After this exchange I searched through my library and found Book IV, The Book of Lies, THe Book of Thoth, and even The Holy Books of Thelema (from 1988, no less). I started a campaign of reading each of the books and the more that I read the more astounded I became at the knowledge of Crowley, at his profound wit and humor, and his ability to express the deepest of all thoughts and emotions with a simple, innocuous phrase.

I picked up a few books not written by Crowley, but written by Thelemites such as Wasserman, Eshelman, Duquette, Hyatt, and J. Daniel Gunther. This book (Initiation in the Aeon of the Child) is at once simple enough for beginning Thelemites such as myself, but also "rewarding --- especially after repeated readings --- to experienced practitioners" (Hymenaeus Beta).

I found this book immediately accessible and wonderfully entertaining. Even if you haven't yet read any Thelemic material, I encourage you to pick up this book and allow it to speak to you. My expectaion is that you will come away with a different impression of Crowley, and Thelema, in general.

24 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book for sincere aspirants and enquiring readers, July 17, 2009

By 

Steve King (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Initiation in the Aeon of the Child: The Inward Journey (Hardcover)

This book is the first critical and credible contribution to our doctrinal understanding of the initiatic system of the Order known as A:.A:., and the formulae of the `New Aeon' of Thelema, since the original writings and teachings of Aleister Crowley. Interestingly enough, it is the originality of the new content by Mr. Gunther - or at least its open publication (for a review on the back cover of the dust jacket pretty much says this content is privately taught within the membership of A:.A:.) - that has stirred controversy and even contempt, as one of the other Amazon reviews here confirms. These opinions make for poor literary reviews, and should neither detain nor discourage the serious and interested reader or student. Study the book for yourself and make up your own mind.

My own approach was to read the book in full for an overview, then go back to it and focus on parts which particularly interested me, and then as an ongoing engagement, work through the book carefully. In my opinion, it is a book to be experienced rather than analysed, and worked with and worked through over time. In this sense, Gunther's book can serve as a supplementary textbook to Crowley's teachings and curricula - clarifying some points, hinting at others, and revealing doctrinal contexts that underpin the system. The discussions about the Aeons, what formulae are abrogate and what have been superseded, the doctrines of the Messiah and the Four Gates, the dialectic of Thelema, and the Sevenfold Arrangement of Hoor, are a few of the topics covered. Readers new to Thelema and the A:.A:. system need not be intimidated if the above leaves you wondering what the hell I am referring to - the book is grounded in a scholarly approach to the subject, and articulates many of the processes and formulae within a psychological framework, making the book accessible to readers not necessarily familiar with the language of Initiation and Thelema. Qabalah and Alchemy are also used to explain the various stages of the journey. There are some typos but you'll pick them up on careful examination. Of particular note is the diagram on page 179 - match the trigrams to the descriptions on the following page so you have the right ones. There is an extremely useful glossary provided as an Appendix, which is worth reading through sequentially in its own right.

So, what has all the fuss been about this book? Why are some folks getting so worked up about it? I suspect that by default Inward Journey has put on notice every self-styled Thelemic teacher, authority, and bogus A:.A:. group out there with their fraudulent invention of "lineages". By their fruits ...

I was interested in the review on Amazon for this book titled "The first significant systembuilder since 666 within Thelema" which described how the book would be of relevance to members of the O.T.O. To add to that, I thought it worth mentioning that the Australian Grand Lodge has formally incorporated "Inward Journey" into its curricula.

5.0 out of 5 stars Initation in the AEON of the CHILD, February 8, 2012

By 

V. Harper (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Initiation in the Aeon of the Child: The Inward Journey (Hardcover)

J. Daniel Gunther has actually written the next step ... this is a must read. This will change how you practice and how you think. L.U.X. is no longer, N.O.X. is now the way. Divine Expression: What was once four is now five. The rest follows logically.