In theesoteric philosophy ofThelema, founded byAleister Crowley in the early 20th century, anAeon is aastrological age defined by distinct spiritual and cultural characteristics, each accompanied by its own forms of magical and religious expression.[1]Thelemites believe that theGreat Year of human history is divided into a series of these Aeons, each governed by a particular deity or archetype that embodies the spiritual formula of the era.
The first of these was the Aeon ofIsis, associated withprehistory, a time when humanityrevered aGreat Goddess, symbolised by theancient Egyptian deity Isis. This was followed by the Aeon ofOsiris, spanning theclassical andmedieval periods, during which the worship of a singular male god, represented by Osiris, dominated, reflectingpatriarchal values.[2]
The current Aeon, known as theAeon of Horus, is believed to have begun in 1904 with the reception ofThe Book of the Law (Liber AL vel Legis), which Crowley maintained was dictated to him by a praeterhuman intelligence namedAiwass. The Aeon of Horus, frequently referred to as simplythe Aeon and symbolised by the child godHorus, is seen as a time of greater consciousness, individual sovereignty, and spiritual awakening. Thelemites believe that this Aeon represents a departure from the constraints and dogmas of the previous Aeon, particularly the influence of theAbrahamic religions, and heralds an era of self-actualisation and the realisation of human potential.[2]
Within Thelema, each Aeon is characterised by its own specificmagical formula, which is fundamental to the practice and understanding of ThelemicMagick. The transition between these Aeons is understood not merely as a change in religious or cultural practices, but as a profound shift in the underlying spiritualparadigm that governs human existence.[3]
The first Aeon, of Isis, was maternal. The female aspect of the Godhead was revered due to a mostlymatriarchal society and the idea that "Mother Earth" nourished, clothed and housed man closed in the womb of Matrix. It was characterised bypagan worship of theMother andNature. InThe Equinox of the Gods, Crowley describes this period as "simple, quiet, easy, and pleasant; the material ignores the spiritual."[4]
Lon Milo DuQuette wrote that this aeon was "the Age of the Great Goddess",[5] tracing its origin to prehistory and identifying its zenith around "approximately 2400 B.C."[5] In doing so, he was drawing upon the hypotheses of early 20th-century archaeologists such asSir Arthur Evans, whose work at Knossos suggested a prehistoric, matriarchal, goddess-centered religion. Continuing in this vein, DuQuette described the period as one in which the hypothetical cult of theGreat Goddess—a unifying figure behind many goddesses across diverse cultures—would have been truly universal and worshipped under myriad names and forms across the ancient world. However, DuQuette cautions against assuming that the magical formula of this aeon manifested solely through the worship of any specific anthropomorphic female deity. He explains: "Like every aeon, the magical formula of the Aeon of Isis was founded upon mankind's interpretation of the 'perceived facts' of nature, and our Isian-age progenitors perceived nature as a continuous process of spontaneous growth."[5]
According to Crowley, theclassical andmedieval Aeon of Osiris succeeded the Aeon of Isis and marked a shift from matriarchal, nature-based spirituality to a patriarchal religious structure centered onmoral dualism,self-sacrifice, and submission to theFather God. Crowley identifiedOsiris as the archetype of theslain god,[6] whose death andresurrection formed the theological foundation for many religions of the period, includingChristianity.[2] During this aeon, spiritual truth was seen as external and transcendent, mediated by priesthoods and scriptures. The individual was perceived as a fallen being, requiringredemption through obedience, suffering, or sacrificial rites.[7] He characterized this period as emphasizing the solar father figure, contrasted with the lunar mother of the Aeon of Isis, and anticipated its end with the birth of a new aeon focused on the divine child, Horus.[8]
The occultistKenneth Grant later elaborated on Crowley's framework, interpreting the Aeon of Osiris as an era of spiritual concealment in which esoteric knowledge was systematized, ritualized, and obscured beneath layers of dogma. He emphasized that the dismemberment of Osiris symbolized a fragmentation of primordial wisdom, and regarded the aeon as dominated by reflective, lunar consciousness rather than direct initiatory experience.[9] In his view, the transition to the Aeon of Horus marks a return to more immediate, transformative modes of spiritual engagement.
The Aeon of Horus, identified by Crowley as beginning in 1904 with the reception ofThe Book of the Law, marks the current era in Thelemic philosophy. This aeon emphasizesself-realization,individualism, and the pursuit of one'sTrue Will, symbolized by the child god Horus representing new beginnings and potential growth. Crowley described it as a time of the Crowned and Conquering Child, focusing on spiritual awakening and personal freedom. He also stated, "every man and every woman is a star", highlighting the unique and divine nature of each individual.[10]
Key figures such as Israel Regardie and Kenneth Grant highlight the transformative nature of this aeon, encouraging individuals to embrace their True Will and move beyond previous constraints. Regardie saw it as a shift towards new spiritual and psychological paradigms,[11] while Grant emphasized the break from the restrictions of prior aeons.[12] DuQuette elaborates on the Aeon of Horus as a period of growing individual consciousness and the realization of one's spiritual potential, contrasting it with theAge of Aquarius, which he sees as a smaller aspect of a greater spiritual age.[13] Gunther interprets the Aeon as a time of significant spiritual evolution, driven by the awakening of individual consciousness and the unfolding of the True Will.[14]
The Thelemic calendar uses a unique dating system incorporating Tarot trumps and astrological positions, aligning significant events with corresponding Tarot cards and the positions of the Sun and Moon, reflecting the Thelemic emphasis on synchronizing personal and cosmic cycles. Crowley detailed the practice of recording magical work in his writings on the magical record, emphasizing the importance of documenting spiritual progress.[15]
Aleister Crowley believed that the Aeon ofMa'at will succeed the present one.[2] However, Crowley suggested that the succession of the aeons is not bound to theaxial precession of the equinoxes in his 'Old Comment' to Liber AL chapter III, verse 34, where he states, "Following him [Horus] will arise the Equinox of Ma, the Goddess of Justice, it may be a hundred or ten thousand years from now; for the Computation of Time is not here as There."[16] According to one of Crowley's early students,Charles Stansfeld Jones (a.k.a. Frater Achad), the Aeon of Ma'at has already arrived or overlaps the present Aeon of Horus.[17]
Crowley wrote:
I may now point out that the reign of the crowned and Conquering Child is limited in time byThe Book of the Law itself. We learn that Horus will be in his turn succeeded byThmaist, the Double-Wanded One; she who shall bring the candidates to full initiation, and though we know little of her peculiar characteristics, we know at least that her name is justice.[18]
