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Francis Israel Regardie (;
A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth reg ...
Regudy; November 17, 1907 – March 10, 1985) was a British-American
occult The occult, in the broadest sense, is a category of esoteric supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving otherworldly agency, such as magic and mysticism a ...
ist,
ceremonial magic Ceremonial magic (ritual magic, high magic or learned magic) encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic. The works included are characterized by ceremony and numerous requisite accessories to aid the practitioner. It can be seen as an ex ...
ian, and writer who spent much of his life in the United States. He wrote fifteen books on the subject of occultism. Born to a working-class
Orthodox Jewish Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the traditionalist and theologically conservative branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as revealed by God to Moses on ...
family in the
East End The East End of London, often referred to within the London area simply as the East End, is the historic core of wider East London, east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It does not have uni ...
of London, Regardie and his family soon moved to Washington, D.C. in the United States. Regardie rejected
Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the traditionalist and theologically conservative branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as revealed by God to Moses o ...
during his teenage years and took an interest in
Theosophy Theosophy is a religion established in the United States during the late 19th century. It was founded primarily by the Russian Helena Blavatsky and draws its teachings predominantly from Blavatsky's writings. Categorized by scholars of religion a ...
,
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
,
Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
, and
Jewish mysticism Academic study of Jewish mysticism, especially since Gershom Scholem's ''Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism'' (1941), distinguishes between different forms of mysticism across different eras of Jewish history. Of these, Kabbalah, which emerged in ...
. It was through his interest in
yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...
that he encountered the writings of the occultist
Aleister Crowley Aleister Crowley (; born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, painter, novelist, and mountaineer. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the pr ...
. Contacting Crowley, he was invited to serve as the occultist's secretary, necessitating a move to Paris, France in 1928. He followed Crowley to England before their association ended. Living in England, he wrote two books on the Qabalah, ''
A Garden of Pomegranates ''A Garden of Pomegranates'' is a 160-page book, written by Israel Regardie in 1931. History The first edition was published in 1932. The book was printed four times, with a second edition being published in 1970 by Llewellyn Publications. Th ...
'' and ''The Tree of Life''. In 1934 he then joined the
Stella Matutina The Stella Matutina (Morning Star) was an initiatory magical order dedicated to the dissemination of the traditional occult teachings of the earlier Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Originally, the outer order of the Stella Matutina was known a ...
—a ceremonial magic order descended from the defunct
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn ( la, Ordo Hermeticus Aurorae Aureae), more commonly the Golden Dawn (), was a secret society devoted to the study and practice of occult Hermeticism and metaphysics during the late 19th and early 20th ...
—but grew dissatisfied with its leadership and left. He also studied psychology, being particularly influenced by ideas from
Jungian psychology Analytical psychology ( de , Analytische Psychologie, sometimes translated as analytic psychology and referred to as Jungian analysis) is a term coined by Carl Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist, to describe research into his new "empirical science" ...
, and explored
Christian mysticism Christian mysticism is the tradition of mystical practices and mystical theology within Christianity which "concerns the preparation f the personfor, the consciousness of, and the effect of ..a direct and transformative presence of God" ...
. In 1937 he returned to the United States. Concerned that the Golden Dawn system of ceremonial magic would be lost, he published the
Stella Matutina The Stella Matutina (Morning Star) was an initiatory magical order dedicated to the dissemination of the traditional occult teachings of the earlier Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Originally, the outer order of the Stella Matutina was known a ...
rituals in a series of books between 1938 and 1940. This entailed breaking his oath of secrecy and brought anger from many other occultists. During the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
he served in the U.S. Army. On returning to the U.S., he gained a doctorate in psychology before relocating to Los Angeles in 1947 and setting up practice as a chiropractor. In 1981 he retired and moved to
Sedona, Arizona Sedona is a city that straddles the county line between Coconino and Yavapai counties in the northern Verde Valley region of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census, its population was 10,031. It is within the Coconino National F ...
, where he died of a
heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...
four years later.


Biography


Early life: 1907–1931

Regardie was born Israel Regudy on 17 November 1907 off of the Mile End Road in London's
East End The East End of London, often referred to within the London area simply as the East End, is the historic core of wider East London, east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It does not have uni ...
, then a poor area. His parents, Barnet Regudy, a cigarette maker, and Phoebe Perry, were poor
orthodox Jewish Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the traditionalist and theologically conservative branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as revealed by God to Moses on ...
immigrants from
Zhitomir Zhytomyr ( uk, Жито́мир, translit=Zhytomyr ; russian: Жито́мир, Zhitomir ; pl, Żytomierz ; yi, זשיטאָמיר, Zhitomir; german: Schytomyr ) is a city in the north of the western half of Ukraine. It is the administrative ...
,
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War ...
(present-day Ukraine). His family changed their
surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...
to "Regardie" after a clerical mixup resulted in Israel's elder brother being enrolled in the
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...
under that name. Regardie emigrated with his parents to the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
in August 1921 and settled in
Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morg ...
. Regardie's parents were Orthodox Jews who believed that the
Talmud The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law ('' halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the ce ...
ic stories were literally true. With a
Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
tutor he gained a linguistic knowledge which would prove invaluable in his later studies of
Hermetic Qabalah Hermetic Qabalah () is a Western esoteric tradition involving mysticism and the occult. It is the underlying philosophy and framework for magical societies such as the Golden Dawn, Thelemic orders, mystical-religious societies such as the Bu ...
. In his teenage years, Regardie rejected this parental faith, coming to describe
Judaism Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in th ...
as "a load of rubbish". He began reading the work of Helena Blavatsky, the founder of
Theosophy Theosophy is a religion established in the United States during the late 19th century. It was founded primarily by the Russian Helena Blavatsky and draws its teachings predominantly from Blavatsky's writings. Categorized by scholars of religion a ...
. From there, he read
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
texts like the ''
Upanishads The Upanishads (; sa, उपनिषद् ) are late Vedic Sanskrit texts that supplied the basis of later Hindu philosophy.Wendy Doniger (1990), ''Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism'', 1st Edition, University of Chicago Press, , ...
'' and the ''
Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' ( ...
'' as well as
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
texts like the ''
Dhammapada The Dhammapada ( Pāli; sa, धर्मपद, Dharmapada) is a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form and one of the most widely read and best known Buddhist scriptures. The original version of the Dhammapada is in the Khuddak ...
'' and the ''
Milinda Panha The ''Milinda Pañha'' () is a Buddhist text which dates from sometime between 100 BC and 200 AD. It purports to record a dialogue between the Indian Buddhist sage Nāgasena, and the 2nd century BC Indo-Greek king Menander I (Pali: ''Milinda'' ...
''. Interested in becoming a painter, he studied at an art school in
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...
. He also joined the Societas Rosicruciana in America at around this time.SRIA: Dr. Israel Regardie
While in Washington DC he came across a discussion of yoga in ''
Book 4 ''Magick, Liber ABA, Book 4'' is widely considered to be the ''magnum opus'' of 20th-century occultist Aleister Crowley, the founder of Thelema. It is a lengthy treatise on magick, his system of Western occult practice, synthesised from many s ...
'', a work by the occultist
Aleister Crowley Aleister Crowley (; born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, painter, novelist, and mountaineer. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the pr ...
. Impressed by it, he wrote to Crowley via the latter's publisher, receiving a response eight months later. Crowley advised Regardie to meet with Karl Germer, his agent in the United States. Regardie visited Germer in New York City, where he purchased the ten volume of Crowley's periodical, '' The Equinox''. In March 1926 he was initiated into the 0=0 degree of the Washington College of the Societas Rosicruciana in America, subsequently being initiated into the Zelator grade in June 1927. Through Crowley's work, Regardie moved from the practice of yoga to that of
ceremonial magic Ceremonial magic (ritual magic, high magic or learned magic) encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic. The works included are characterized by ceremony and numerous requisite accessories to aid the practitioner. It can be seen as an ex ...
. When Crowley asked Regardie to travel to Paris to serve as his personal secretary, the young man agreed; he told his parents that he would be studying with an English painter in Paris. In October 1928, Regardie sailed from New York City to Paris. Regardie hoped that Crowley would personally instruct him in occult practices, but this did not occur; Crowley expected his pupils to learn things for themselves and only seek his advice when in difficulty. Crowley urged Regardie to overcome his inhibitions, including by visiting prostitutes to lose his virginity; from one of these encounters he reportedly contracted gonorrhoea. Regardie spent much time studying Crowley's material, both published and unpublished. As a magical name, he took "Frater NChSh" ("The Serpent"), although also became known as "Father Scorpio". Through his involvement with Crowley, Regardie came to know
Gerald Yorke Major Gerald Joseph Yorke (10 December 1901 – 29 April 1983) was an English soldier and writer. He was a Reuters correspondent while in China for two years in the 1930s, and wrote a book ''China Changes'' (1936). Life Gerald Joseph Yorke was bo ...
, although the duo never became friends. Crowley would sometimes play two simultaneous games of
chess Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to dist ...
, one with Regardie and the other with Yorke. In January 1929, Regardie was hospitalised for a period. Then, in March, Regardie's sister—who had become aware of the content of Crowley's writings—contacted the French authorities to urge them to investigate what had happened to her brother. The Sûreté Générale did so, discovering that Regardie did not have an identity card permitting him residence in France. He received an expulsion notice giving him 24 hours to leave the country; Crowley was soon also ordered to leave. Regardie moved to Brussels in Belgium, where he began a relationship with Crowley's then-lover, Maria Theresa Ferrari de Miramar. Crowley had returned to England, and in late 1929 Regardie joined him there, living in
Knockholt Knockholt is a village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, England. It is located north west of Sevenoaks & south of Orpington, adjacent to the Kent border with Greater London. The village is mostly a ribbon development, sur ...
,
Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
. Crowley could no longer afford to keep Regardie as his secretary and the pair parted amicably. Regardie then became secretary to the author Thomas Burke, who encouraged his own literary intentions.


Early literary career: 1932–1937

While visiting
North Devon North Devon is a local government district in Devon, England. North Devon Council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lyn ...
, Regardie began writing a book on Qabalah, for which he drew upon the writings of occultists like Crowley, Éliphas Lévi, and A. E. Waite. The result, ''A Garden of Pomegranates'', was published by Rider and Company in 1932. He dedicated the book to Crowley. He followed this with a more substantial volume on Qabalah, ''The Tree of Life: A Study in Magic''. Among those to read the work was the occultist Dion Fortune, who considered it to be "quite the best book on magic" that she had read. She and Regardie met, but while the latter admired her writings he was unimpressed with her in person. Regardie later publicly criticised her for misrepresenting his works in her reviews of them; she had claimed that his works bolstered her beliefs about the Masters, although Regardie insisted that he was sceptical about the existence of such entities. The publication of works on Qabalah aimed at a general audience angered some occultists who thought Regardie was sharing information too widely. As a result of the controversy, in 1934 he made contact with members of the
Stella Matutina The Stella Matutina (Morning Star) was an initiatory magical order dedicated to the dissemination of the traditional occult teachings of the earlier Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Originally, the outer order of the Stella Matutina was known a ...
, a ceremonial magic occultist order that had branched off the since defunct
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn ( la, Ordo Hermeticus Aurorae Aureae), more commonly the Golden Dawn (), was a secret society devoted to the study and practice of occult Hermeticism and metaphysics during the late 19th and early 20th ...
. With Crowley's blessing, he was initiated into the group, taking on the magical name "Ad Majorem Adonai Gloriam". He rapidly progressed through the grades of the order, reaching that of Zelator Adeptus Minor, but grew disillusioned with the group's leaders, regarding them as being egotistical and preoccupied with collecting grandiose titles. He resolved to publish the group's ritual material, believing that it would ensure that the Golden Dawn ritual system was not lost and would benefit a far wider range of people; this would entail breaking the oath of secrecy he took upon entering the order. In February 1935, Regardie finished writing ''My Rosicrucian Adventure'', which was published as ''What You Should Know about the Golden Dawn''. His literary endeavours brought Regardie little money and while in England he lived largely in poverty. Regardie had a growing passion for psychology and studied
psychoanalysis PsychoanalysisFrom Greek: + . is a set of theories and therapeutic techniques"What is psychoanalysis? Of course, one is supposed to answer that it is many things — a theory, a research method, a therapy, a body of knowledge. In what might ...
through a Jungian framework under E. Clegg and J. L. Bendit. Although influenced by Jungian psychology, he disagreed with some of the ideas of its founder,
Carl Jung Carl Gustav Jung ( ; ; 26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Jung's work has been influential in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, ph ...
, such as the idea that all humans could be classified as either introverts or extroverts, something that Regardie deemed too simplistic. He also began exploring
Christian mysticism Christian mysticism is the tradition of mystical practices and mystical theology within Christianity which "concerns the preparation f the personfor, the consciousness of, and the effect of ..a direct and transformative presence of God" ...
. He was particularly attracted to the figure of
Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi ( it, Francesco d'Assisi; – 3 October 1226), was a mystic Italian Catholic friar, founder of the Franciscans, and one of the most venerated figures in Christianit ...
; he began using the name "Francis" himself after he was given it by a woman he was in a relationship with.


Back in the United States: 1937–1950

In 1937 he decided to return to the United States after nine years abroad. Shortly after doing so, Regardie and Crowley fell out. Regardie sent Crowley a copy of his latest publication; the latter's response made fun of Regardie's use of the name "Francis", calling him "Frank", and including an
anti-semitic Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...
slur. Regardie wrote an angry letter back, calling Crowley "Alice" and describing him as "a contemptible bitch". Crowley then circulated a document attacking Regardie, accusing him of exploiting his benefactors and of contracting gonorrhoea. This incident led Regardie to distance himself from occultism for several years. In 1938 his book, ''The Philosopher's Stone'', was published; it examined
alchemy Alchemy (from Arabic: ''al-kīmiyā''; from Ancient Greek: χυμεία, ''khumeía'') is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition that was historically practiced in China, India, the Muslim wo ...
through the lens of psychology, seeking psychological interpretations for alchemical symbolism. Regardie later came to reject this understanding of alchemy, referring to it as "by far my worst book" and regretting having written it. From 1938 to 1940, Aries Press of Chicago published four volumes of Golden Dawn material edited by Regardie. It sold slowly. The historian Richard Kaczynski noted that "it quickly became a classic". For this act he was vilified by many in the occultist community, some of whom cursed him. Crowley claimed that the publication of this material was "pure theft", although he had personally published Golden Dawn ritual material himself. The published material influenced many readers, resulting in the formation of many groups that used the Golden Dawn rituals as a basis. In the U.S., he focused his attentions on
psychotherapy Psychotherapy (also psychological therapy, talk therapy, or talking therapy) is the use of psychological methods, particularly when based on regular personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase happiness, and overcome pro ...
and especially the work of
Wilhelm Reich Wilhelm Reich ( , ; 24 March 1897 – 3 November 1957) was an Austrian doctor of medicine and a psychoanalyst, along with being a member of the second generation of analysts after Sigmund Freud. The author of several influential books, most ...
. He studies at the Chiropractic College of New York City, graduating in 1941. After the United States joined the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, Regardie joined the US Army, serving with them between 1942 and 1945. After the war he returned to the U.S. and obtained a doctorate in psychology. His interest in Reichian ideas influenced the exercises put forward in his book ''Be Yourself - The Art of Relaxation''. He followed this work with ''The Middle Pillar'' and ''The Art of True Healing'', in which he showcased his psychological approach to Qabalistic magical practices. Maintaining his interest in Christian mysticism, Regardie began exploring
Christian Science Christian Science is a set of beliefs and practices associated with members of the Church of Christ, Scientist. Adherents are commonly known as Christian Scientists or students of Christian Science, and the church is sometimes informally known ...
and
New Thought The New Thought movement (also Higher Thought) is a spiritual movement that coalesced in the United States in the early 19th century. New Thought was seen by its adherents as succeeding "ancient thought", accumulated wisdom and philosophy from ...
, both movements that stressed the ability to heal sickness with thought. In 1946 his book on the subject, ''The Romance of Metaphysics'', was published; it would be republished as ''The Teachers of Fulfilment''. In 1947, Regardie moved to Los Angeles, where he set up practice as a chiropractor. For some of his clients, he also engaged in psychotherapy and used Reichian tactics to heal their ailments. This career proved a financial success, eventually earning 80,000 dollars a year. He also taught psychiatry at the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. He contributed articles to the ''
Psychiatric Quarterly The ''Psychiatric Quarterly'' is a peer-reviewed medical journal that was established in 1915 as ''The State Hospital Quarterly'' ( and ). It obtained its current name in 1927. The publication's founding editor-in-chief was Horatio Pollock. Abstr ...
'' and '' The American Journal of Psychotherapy''.


Developing career: 1951–1979

Throughout the 1950s, Regardie continued to avoid much contact with the occultist movement. He consistently avoided the public eye, refusing interviews to appear on radio and television; he was concerned that publicity would bring with it persecution. Like Crowley, Regardie was interested in mind-altering substances, and in the 1950s he experimented with using LSD under laboratory conditions. Regardie began editing various of Crowley's writings for republication, among them ''Book Four'', ''Three Holy Books'', ''AHA!'', ''The Vision and the Voice'', ''The World's Tragedy'', ''Magick without Tears'', and an edited collection called ''The Best of Crowley''. In the 1970s, ''The Golden Dawn'' volumes were republished, selling more briskly than they had on first publication. Although he had ended his association with Crowley on bad terms, he was angered on reading the first biography of Crowley, ''The Great Beast'' by
John Symonds John Symonds (12 March 1914, Battersea, London – 21 October 2006) was an English novelist, biographer, playwright and writer of children's books. Biography Early life He was the son of Robert Wemyss Symonds and Lily Sapzells. At the age ...
, which he thought was unduly negative and failed to understand Crowley's beliefs. Regardie decided to write his own book about Crowley, but it took over a decade to produce. In 1970, Regardie's ''The Eye in the Triangle: An Interpretation of Aleister Crowley'', was published. The work starts as a memoir of Regardie's time with Crowley before moving on to a biographical account of the occultist's life up till 1914. By that point, Regardie believed, Crowley had achieved everything of significance in his life. In the work, Regardie sought to balance his appreciation for Crowley with a discussion of what he saw as the man's faults. In ''The Eye in the Triangle'', Regardie argued that Aiwass—the entity whom Crowley claimed had given him ''
The Book of the Law ''Liber AL vel Legis'' (), commonly known as ''The Book of the Law'', is the central sacred text of Thelema. Aleister Crowley said that it was dictated to him by a beyond-human being who called himself ' Aiwass'. Rose Edith Kelly, Crowley's ...
'' in 1904—was actually a facet of Crowley's own psyche. He also wrote other works. One was ''Twelve Steps to Spiritual Enlightenment'', a textbook on how to practice magic that was later republished as ''The One Year Manual''. Subsequent books, published by the UK-based
Aquarian Press Aquarian may refer to: *Aquarius (astrology), a sign of the zodiac *Aquarian Tabernacle Church, a Wiccan church in Index, Washington, U.S. *'' The Aquarian Weekly'', a weekly newspaper in New Jersey, U.S. *Aquarii, Christians who substituted water ...
, included ''A Practical Guide to Geomantic Divination'' and ''How to Make and Use Talismans''. Regardie's works gained a growing readership in the
Counterculture of the 1960s The counterculture of the 1960s was an anti-establishment cultural phenomenon that developed throughout much of the Western world in the 1960s and has been ongoing to the present day. The aggregate movement gained momentum as the civil rights mo ...
. He received correspondence from many of his readers, much of which he thought was unhinged; he collected these in a manuscript he called ''Liber Nuts''. His house was burgled twice, with the burglars seeking to steal Golden Dawn and Crowleyan material. He befriended various occultists, including Christopher Hyatt. He also established friendly contact with the author
Robert Anton Wilson Robert Anton Wilson (born Robert Edward Wilson; January 18, 1932 – January 11, 2007) was an American author, futurist, psychologist, and self-described agnostic mystic. Recognized within Discordianism as an Episkopos, pope and saint, Wilso ...
, who provided an introduction for the third edition of ''The Eye in the Triangle''. He corresponded again with Yorke, who was now a
Tibetan Buddhist Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...
. He also became friends with the Thelemite Grady McMurtry, who asked for his and Yorke's approval before relaunching the Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO) from his Berkeley home. Regardie never joined the OTO, but wished it well. He was also an acquaintance of the drug use proponent
Timothy Leary Timothy Francis Leary (October 22, 1920 – May 31, 1996) was an American psychologist and author known for his strong advocacy of psychedelic drugs. Evaluations of Leary are polarized, ranging from bold oracle to publicity hound. He was "a her ...
.


Later life: 1980–1985

In 1980, Regardie's ''Ceremonial Magic: A Guide to the Mechanisms of Ritual'' was published in both the UK and US. In this book, he encouraged prospective ceremonial magicians to engage in self-initiation. By the 1980s, Regardie had developed a deep dislike of Christianity. He came to believe that
Jesus of Nazareth Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religiou ...
had never existed, and that the myth around him was derived from that of the ancient Egyptian god
Osiris Osiris (, from Egyptian ''wsjr'', cop, ⲟⲩⲥⲓⲣⲉ , ; Phoenician: 𐤀𐤎𐤓, romanized: ʾsr) is the god of fertility, agriculture, the afterlife, the dead, resurrection, life, and vegetation in ancient Egyptian religion. He wa ...
. In 1981, Regardie began instructing a woman in the Golden Dawn system. She went on to establish a temple in Los Angeles, for which Regardie agreed to act as a consultant if they ran into difficulty. Among the group's members was
Gerald Suster Gerald Suster (2 August 1951 – 3 February 2001) was a British revisionist historian, occult writer, and novelist. He was best known for his biographies of Aleister Crowley (''The Legacy of the Beast'') and Israel Regardie (''Crowley's Appre ...
, later a writer on occultism. The group was damaged by personality differences and ended up in schism. In 1981, Regardie retired from his chiropractic clinic and left Los Angeles for
Sedona, Arizona Sedona is a city that straddles the county line between Coconino and Yavapai counties in the northern Verde Valley region of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census, its population was 10,031. It is within the Coconino National F ...
. In 1984, Regardie's ''The Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic'', a book over a thousand pages long, was published. In 1983 he visited Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand; in February 1984 he visited Hawaii and considered moving there. Regardie died from a
heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...
in the presence of close friends during a dinner at a Sedona restaurant on March 10, 1985 at the age of 77. He left his money to his nephew, a lawyer in New York City. Other material was left to Christopher Hyatt, who established the Israel Regardie Foundation.


Personal life

Over the course of his life, Regardie married and divorced three times; he had no children. Regardie suffered from
asthma Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, co ...
, sometimes known as "the occultist's disease" within the occult community. Suster noted that, in old age at least, Regardie had "a most delightful sense of humour". He was a fan of
boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
; it was one of the few things he would watch on television. He enjoyed
cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: '' Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternative ...
and, in later life, used LSD around once a year.


Legacy

Regardie is a principal reliable source for much of what is known about the
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn ( la, Ordo Hermeticus Aurorae Aureae), more commonly the Golden Dawn (), was a secret society devoted to the study and practice of occult Hermeticism and metaphysics during the late 19th and early 20th ...
. His writings and the students he taught or influenced provide much of the foundation for modern Western occultism. In addition to preserving the knowledge, Regardie also preserved a valid branch of the initiatory lineage of the Golden Dawn in America:
The second significant task carried out by Regardie was, as an Adept, to bring a valid branch of the initiatory lineage of the Golden Dawn to America the alchemical melting pot where the New Age was incubating. Such tasks are not always easy. A. M. A. G. waited here four decades until the threads of the pattern came together. Then, in one of those graceful synchronicities which often play midwife to significant magical events, a couple in Georgia were inspired—at that time scarcely aware of what they were undertaking — to build a Rosicrucian Vault, the powerful ritual chamber required to pass on the Adept Initiation, at precisely the time when two magicians (one on the east coast of the United States and one on the west coast), unknown to each other or to the Georgia couple, came to be ready to receive that Initiation. And A.M.A.G., with the right to confer the Initiation in such a Vault, was the connecting link among them. And so, in one remarkable weekend, Regardie presided over two Initiations into the Inner Order, the first and the last which he ever performed; and the Lamp of the
Keryx In Greek mythology, Ceryx ( grc, Κῆρυξ ''Kērux'', literally "herald") was a member of the Athenian royal family as the son of Hermes by either the princesses, Pandrosus or Agraulus. Mythology Ceryx was, like his father, a messenger. Bu ...
was passed into American hands. — Forrest, Adam P. in Cicero (1995), p. 541
Note: in the above paragraph, A.M.A.G. refers to Regardie. Participants in the Order took on a pseudonym or ''
magical motto Magical mottoes are the magical nicknames, pen names, or pseudonyms taken by individuals in a number of magical organizations. These members were known and sometimes referred to in many publications by these mottoes. Members of these organizati ...
''. In Regardie's case, his motto was ''Ad Majorem Adonai Gloriam'' which means "To the Greater Glory of
Adonai Judaism considers some names of God so holy that, once written, they should not be erased: YHWH, Adonai, El ("God"), Elohim ("God," a plural noun), Shaddai ("Almighty"), and Tzevaot (" fHosts"); some also include Ehyeh ("I Will Be").This is th ...
". In his biography of Regardie,
Gerald Suster Gerald Suster (2 August 1951 – 3 February 2001) was a British revisionist historian, occult writer, and novelist. He was best known for his biographies of Aleister Crowley (''The Legacy of the Beast'') and Israel Regardie (''Crowley's Appre ...
described him as "one of the most important figures in the twentieth-century development of what some have called the Western Esoteric Tradition".


Partial bibliography

* ''
A Garden of Pomegranates ''A Garden of Pomegranates'' is a 160-page book, written by Israel Regardie in 1931. History The first edition was published in 1932. The book was printed four times, with a second edition being published in 1970 by Llewellyn Publications. Th ...
: an outline of the qabalah'' (1932) * ''The Tree of Life: a study in magic'' (1932) * ''The Art of True Healing: the unlimited power of prayer and visualisation'' (1932) * ''My Rosicrucian Adventure'' (1936) * ''The Golden Dawn: the original account of the teachings, rites and ceremonies of the hermetic order volumes'  (1937–1940) * ''The Middle Pillar: the balance between mind and magic'' (1938) * ''The Philosopher's Stone'' (1938) * ''The Romance of Metaphysics'' (1945) * ''The Art and Meaning of Magic'' (1964) * ''Be Yourself, the Art of Relaxation'' (1965) * ''Twelve Steps to Spiritual Enlightenment'' (1969) * ''The Eye in the Triangle'' (1970) * ''Foundation of Practical Magic: an introduction to qabalistic, magical and meditative techniques'' (1979) * ''The Portable Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic'' (1984)


See also

*
List of occultists This list comprises and encompasses people, both contemporary and historical, who are or were professionally or otherwise notably involved in occult practices. People who were or are merely believers of occult practices should not be included unl ...


References


Footnotes


Bibliography

* * * * *


Further reading

* Cicero, Chic and Sandra Tabatha Cicero (1995). ''Secrets of a Golden Dawn Temple''. Llewellyn Publications. {{DEFAULTSORT:Regardie, Israel 1907 births 1985 deaths English occult writers English people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn Hermetic Qabalists Writers from London People from Sedona, Arizona Rosicrucians