Today marks the 109th anniversary of Aleister Crowley’s initiation into the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (G.’.D.’.), which he joined on November 18th, 1875, receiving his Neophyte Degree (0=0). It was upon that occasion Crowley took his legendary Latin motto, “Perdurabo” (“I will endure unto the end”).

Crowley’s introduction to the magickal order was through George Cecil Jones, a gentleman whom he met after he had left Cambridge University. Jones further introduced Crowley to Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers (S.L.M. Mathers) who invited him to join the G.’.D.’.

Frater Perdurabo (as he was known in the group) rose rapidly up the ranks of the Order, and by the year 1900, Crowley had achieved the grade of Adeptus Minor, no small magickal feat.

In that same year, a huge schism took place within the Order that left it in ruins, with Crowley severing ties with the group altogether.

Still, today is a day to remember as Crowley’s first real step upon the road of Magick, without which (in my opinion), Western Occultism would most likely not exist as it does. Certainly, the art of metaphysics and the occult have been forever changed by the force that was Crowley.