The Book of the Law facts for kids

The Book of the Law is a very important book for a group of people who follow a spiritual path called Thelema. A writer named Aleister Crowley wrote this book in Cairo, Egypt, in 1904. Its full name is Liber AL vel Legis, sub figura CCXX, as delivered by XCIII=418 to DCLXVI. People often call it Liber AL vel Legis or just Liber Al for short.

The book has three parts, called chapters. Each chapter was written down in just one hour. This happened on three different days: April 8, April 9, and April 10, all starting at noon.

What is The Book of the Law?

The Book of the Law is the main holy text for followers of Thelema. It contains the core ideas and rules for this spiritual belief system. The book is seen as a message from a higher power.

How the Book Was Written

Aleister Crowley said that a being named Aiwass spoke the words of the book to him. He wrote down everything he heard. This happened over three days in April 1904. Each day, he wrote one chapter.

The Three Chapters

• Chapter 1: This part was written on April 8. It is said to be from Nuit, the goddess of the night sky. She represents endless space and freedom.
• Chapter 2: This part was written on April 9. It is said to be from Hadit, who is like a tiny point at the center of everything. He represents energy and movement.
• Chapter 3: This part was written on April 10. It is said to be from Ra-Hoor-Khuit, a god of war and strength. He represents the active side of the universe.

Main Message of the Book

The most famous idea from The Book of the Law is "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law." This means that people should find their true purpose in life and follow it. It's about discovering your own path and living by it, without harming others.

Who Was Aleister Crowley?

Aleister Crowley was a famous and sometimes controversial writer. He was also a poet and a mountain climber. He created the spiritual system known as Thelema. He believed that The Book of the Law was a very important message for all of humanity.

Images for kids

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  The Stele of Revealing (Bulaq 666): Nuit, Hadit as the winged solar disk, Ra Hoor Khuit seated on his throne, and the stele's owner, Ankh-af-na-khonsu

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  he mysterious 'grid' page of Liber AL's manuscript. "for in the chance shape of the letters and their position to one another: in these are mysteries that no Beast shall divine. ... Then this line drawn is a key: then this circle squared in its failure is a key also. And Abrahadabra."

See also

In Spanish: El libro de la ley para niños