"Do What Thou Wilt" is a phrase derived from a passage in the Book of the Law, which was revealed in 1904 by Aliester Crowley. Essentially, it means to do your Will, not necessarily what your Ego "wants". Some have taken this phrase to be a form of hedonism, when in fact the whole law states itself as aligned with Love in several different phrases: "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law." [1], "Love is the law, love under will." [2], and "There is no law beyond Do what thou wilt."[3]. Of this, Crowley states:
This means that each of us stars [are] free to move on our true orbit, as marked out by the nature of our position, the law of our growth, the impulse of our past experiences ... Each action or motion is an act of love, the uniting with one or another part of "Nuit"; each act must be 'under will', chosen so as to fulfill and not to thwart the true nature of the being concerned. [4]
History[]
The phrase most likely originated from François Rabelais, who used the phrase "do as you wish", when describing the motto of an ideal and utopian "Abbey of Theleme". [5] Later on Gerald Gardner adapted this into the Wiccan Rede, adding the part about harming none.
See Also[]
- Aliester Crowley
- Book of the Law
- Thelema
References[]
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