I've just begun reading Aleister Crowley's "Diary of a Drug Fiend." I'm only fifty pages in, but I had to break to consider a few epiphanies that came to mind while reading. Its such a beautiful piece of work. Bloated and pregnant with feeling; as art should be; like to "real life".
Anyhoo let me begin by giving a summary of the novel, which I borrow and paraphrase from the Weiser publication: "Diary" (Crowely's not Palahniuk's) is an account of Peter Pendragon and his beloved Lou venturing through Europe and exploring the drug scene of cocaine and heroine. After Paradiso is consumed by the Inferno, (Books 1,2 and 3 are titled Paradiso, Inferno and Purgatorio; which I find delightful in its skewed chronology of Dante), the only salvation from addiction lies in the hands of King Lamus, a master Adept who breaks the bonds of addiction through the practice of Magick.
The concept intrigued me; it felt more modern than Crowley's time, the novel was published in 1922. It seems part psychoanalysis, part metaprogramming (John Lilly, M.D.) as Pendragon and Lou search for the meaning behind The True Will. Its something universal that mankind should be aware of; the reprogramming of the self when a second will is in control without conscious permission; it does not just have to be related to substance addiction; but also behavioral, mental, and spiritual; for everything that is somatic is potentially an addiction, or a really hardwired piece of software. Crowley states: "I seem to remember asking myself if I was insane, and answering, "Of course I am-sanity is a compromise. Sanity is the thing that keeps one back."
Most people believe the opposite. But most people have never tasted what they deem to be insane. Most people still believe that The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is still evil verdure. Most people still think that Heaven and Hell are independent of consensus reality. Most people still believe that God is a false idol in the Garden, screaming, "There is no other God before me, for I am a jealous God." Most people believe in the map and not the territory. Most people believe that Jesus is still the "King of Jews" even when he explcity asks a hesitantly condemning Pilot; "Is that my name or is that what others have called me?"
Just a thought. More will come I am sure once I am further into the novel. I am very much looking forward to it.
Peace and well-being,
-S.
And on that note, another quote from the novel which I will leave up to discussion between you and I, dear reader:
Sunday, January 7, 2007
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