Thelema Now Episode: Richard Kaczynski – Friendship in Doubt, Crowley, and the Magic of Connection

In this wide-ranging and engaging conversation, host Harper Feist welcomes back renowned Thelemic scholar Richard Kaczynski to discuss his latest book, Friendship in Doubt. Together, they explore the complex web of relationships surrounding Aleister Crowley, the role of loyalty and betrayal in spiritual movements, and how personal dynamics can influence magical work.

The discussion doesn’t stop there—Harper and Richard dive into Crowley’s early work The Sword of Song, unpacking its philosophical underpinnings and literary flair. They also touch on the practice of Magick itself, including its evolution and application in both historical and contemporary contexts.

Whether you’re a seasoned student of Thelema or just curious about the people behind the philosophy, this episode is full of insight, scholarship, and a few surprises. Tune in and get inspired!

If you are someone who enjoys Tarot - then do we have an episode for you! In this podcast, host Harper Feist talks to Christophe Poncet, who has just published Down Here. Down Here is the first of a meticulously researched and lavishly illustrated three volume work, The Tarot of Marsilio by Christophe Poncet; a landmark inquiry into the origins of the Tarot de Marseille. Listen as Christophe discuss the orgin of Tarot de Marseille and the surprising findings of his research.

The lovely Deja Whitehouse talks to Thelema Now host Harper Feist about her latest book, "The Lady and the Beast: The Extraordinary Partnership between Frieda Harris and Aleister Crowley." Deja and Harper discuss Frieda Harris's life, her Thoth Tarot collaboration with Crowley, and her struggles as a woman at time when women had few choices and even less rights. Check it out! You can find out more about Deja Whitehouse at her website.

In this Thelema NOW episode, Harper interviews Joseph Peterson, about "Mysteriorum Libri Quinque: Dr. John Dee's Five Books of Mysteries." This book from the 16th century, remains to this day one of the most important core texts of occult literature and a comprehensive guide to Enochian magic, encompassing language, symbolism, rituals, and practical techniques. This deluxe Weiser Ankh edition is a compilation of John Dee’s secret spiritual treatises and was prepared from the original manuscript (preserved in the British Library) in Dee’s own handwriting. These secret writings were discovered long after John Dee’s death (c. 1609); they had been tucked away in a hidden compartment of an old wooden chest and were remarkably spared from destruction—uncovered only a few years before the Great Fire of London in 1666. In these five secret treatises, John Dee, one of the most renowned scholars of the Elizabethan era, records in minute detail his research into the occult.

Joseph discusses working with damaged manuscripts, Dee's Biblical references, and Divine Revelation. They also mention Esoeric Archives, which you can access here. Check it out!

In this Thelema NOW episode, Harper interviews Jack Grayle, well-known author of the Hekataeon, on the occasion of the release of his new book, Sigrun and the Mist.

This book houses the script for a play, written in iambic pentameter, exploring what it is to be truly human through the lens of Norse mythology. When then gods stir our lives, we evolve, or a part of us dies. Jack has assembled a veritable cornucopia of talent to support this project, including historians, witches, artists, models, and photographers.

This book is not to be missed! To purchase book: Sigrun & the Mist by Jack Grayle (Limited Edition) - Miskatonic Books

Jack's other title, Hekataeon, can be viewed here.

Thelema Now's Harper Feist speaks with Frater U∴D∴! Frater U∴D∴ is the co-founder of both the Bonn Workshop for Experimental Magic and the Magical Pact of the Illuminati of Thanateros (IOT). He is one of Europe's most renowned practical magicians and contemporary occult authors. Frater U∴D∴ has studied with yoga and tantra masters and has been involved with the practical aspects of occultism in general and magic in particular for more than half a century.