Within Thelema, the Great Work is the spiritual endeavor aimed at realizing one's True Will and achieving a profound mystical union with the All. This path, crafted by Aleister Crowley, draws inspiration from Hermetic alchemy and the Hermetic Qabalah. The cornerstone of Thelema is the Book of the Law, received by Crowley in 1904 through a communication with the entity Aiwass. This text became the central scripture, heralding a new Aeon for humanity and outlining the principles of Thelema.
The core purpose of Thelema is twofold: to discover one's unique True Will, or life's purpose, and to attain mystical union with the universal consciousness. Crowley described the Great Work as the unification of opposing forces, be it the individual with the universal or the ego with the non-ego. The techniques to achieve these goals are collectively termed "Magick", encompassing Western ceremonial magic, meditation, Hermetic Qabalah, tarot, and yoga. In Thelema, these practices are dedicated to the worship of Nuit, the goddess of Infinite Stars and Space.
In the framework of Thelema's magical Order A∴A∴, the Great Work of the Probationer Grade involves self-knowledge, understanding the nature and powers of one's own being. Yet, Crowley emphasized that the Great Work is not confined to specific milestones; it is a continuous process. Achieving the Great Work necessitates extensive preparation, including comprehensive knowledge of the Hermetic Qabalah, disciplined meditation, and invoking spiritual entities. The pinnacle of this path lies in the discovery and manifestation of one's True Will, as expressed in the Benediction of Crowley's Gnostic Mass.
True Will and Union
Thelema is a path intended to do two interrelated things: to enable one to learn one's 'True Will'; and to achieve union with 'the All'. This unification of opposites, the individual and the universal, is reiterated by Crowley in his book Magick Without Tears:
The techniques for accomplishing these goals Crowley referred to as 'Magick,' a word he used to describe Western ceremonial magic (especially invocations and eucharistic ceremonies) supported by Buddhist meditation, Hermetic Qabalah, English Qaballa, tarot, and yoga, all set in the context of the worship of Nuit, the goddess of "Infinite Stars and Infinite Space".
Within the system of the magical Order A∴A∴, the Great Work of the Probationer Grade is considered to be the pursuit of self-knowledge to, as Crowley said in The Confessions of Aleister Crowley, "obtain the knowledge of the nature and powers of my own being." However, Crowley continues, the Great Work should also be something that is integrated into the daily life of all. Although Crowley often discussed the idea of "succeeding" or "accomplishing" in the Great Work, he also recognized that the process is ongoing.
The ability to accomplish the Great Work requires a great deal of preparation and effort, according to Crowley's system. The programme consists of several key elements, including a thorough knowledge of the Hermetic Qabalah (especially the Tree of Life), disciplined concentration (i.e. meditation), the development of one's body of light (in order to experience other planes) and the consistent and regular invocation of certain deities or spiritual beings ('assumption of godforms').
Within the mystical and philosophical system developed by Crowley, the core task for a practitioner is the discovery and manifestation of True Will. The realisation of this True Will is itself the Great Work, as expressed in the Benediction at the end of Crowley's Gnostic Mass, where the Priest blesses the congregation with the words:
Methods
Magick
According to Crowley, there is a single definition of the purpose for ritual magick: to achieve Union with God through "the uniting of the Microcosm with the Macrocosm". Since this process is so arduous, it is also acceptable to use magick to develop the self (i.e. one's body of light) or to create ideal circumstances for the Work (e.g. having access to a place in which to do ritual undisturbed). There are many kinds of magick, but the categories of ritual that are recommended by Crowley include banishing unwanted forces, various forms of invocation, and the eucharist, which "consists in taking common things, transmuting them into things divine, and consuming them".