Israel Regardie

Francis Israel Regardie was born on Novemeber 17th 1907 in the east end of London. In 1921 the family emigrated to America, settling in Washington D.C. There, Regaride regularly frequented the Library of Congress, a place which he came to call 'his second home'.

Reading widely, he developed an interest in Hindu philosophy, yoga and the works of Mme Blavatsky, founder of the Theospohical Society.

In March 1926, Regardie discovered a copy of Part One of Four by Aleister Crowley. This book was to change his life dramatically as it triggered Regardie's life long devotion to magic and mysticism. Regardie wrote to Crowley in Paris and received a reply suggesting he contact Crowley's literary agent Karl Germer in New York

From Germer, Regardie bought a set of The Equinox, a series of magazines which Crowley had written and published between 1909 and 1914. It was around this time that Regardie became a member of the Washington College of the Societas Rosicruciana.

A year or so later, Regardie was contacted by Crowley with offer of a job as his secretary in Paris. Obviously, Regardie considered this to be a gerat opportunity to learn magic from one of the world's foremost authorities. However, Regardie was still legally a minor and therefore needed permission from his father to obtain a passport and visa so that he could travel to France. Unfortunately, Crowley had received bad press in both Britain and the U.S. and Regardie knew that his parents would not approve of his mentorship so he did not tell them who he would be working with, Instead, he lied and simply told his parents that he would be studying art with an English painter who was living in Paris.

His parents gave him the necessary papers but Regardie typed up the papers for the French visa himself and forged his father's signature on them.

In October 1928, at the age of twenty, Regardie travelled to Paris and took up the post which had been offerred to him by Crowley.

Unfortunately, Crowley did nothing to teach the young Regardie anything to do with magic or yoga and Regardie, being of a rather shy nature, didn't press him about it. Instead, he just continued his studies, reading every book which came into his possession and availing himself of Crowely's personal collection.

Back in America, Regardie's sister, who was not in the least magically inclined, came to read some of Aleister Crowley's works. Misunderstanding them, she was horrified at what she read and went in person to complain to the French Consul in Washington about her brother's 'demise' at the hands of the dreadful Crowley.

This led to an investigation of Crowley by the French authorities, including a visit to his Parisian apartment where the visiting police officer mistook a decorative coffee maker for a drugs still. The fact that Crowley was the British head of the Ordo Templi Orientis - a German mystical order - caused them to assume he was a German spy.

Around the same time, Crowley, who was notorious for his feuds with former friends and colleagues, had a huge fall out with his literary agent who visited the French police and accused Crowley of being a drug addict. In light of Crowley's later well documented heroin addiction, this accusation was probably true.

Crowley and his fiance, Marie de Miramar were quickly expelled from the country and Regardie left at the same time. He spent six months in Belgium and then travelled to London to live with Crowley and his new wife. Crowley's reputation in Britain was rapidly declining and he had been described in the newspapers as the wickedest man in the world. Because of this Crowley's finances suffered and he was unable to afford to keep paying Regardie for his secretarial work.

Regardie authored a book, The Legend of Aleister Crowley in an attempt to rehabilitate his friend in the eyes of the public but the two drifted apart although their friendship did not end.

In 1932 Regardie published his first two books on magic. The first, A Garden of Pomegranates was based upon Regardie's Qabalistic studies. The second, The Tree of Life was a written version of the original teachings of the Golden Dawn.

In 1937 Regardie sent a copy of The Tree of Life to Crowley, to whom the book was dedicated. Unexpectedly, Crowley wrote an abusive letter back which contained anti semitic remarks.Offended, Regardie wrote a letter back which enflamed Crowley so much that he circulated a slanderous letter about Regardie to all his friends and acquaintances.

This caused the end of their friendship and Regardie felt bitter about this for many years, only able to forgive his former friend in later life.

The organisations Stella Matutinis and Alpha et Omega had both continued the practices of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, which had ceased to exist in 1903.

Regardie joined the Stella Matutinis in 1933 and quickly progressed through the grades but was horrified to realise that the Order Chiefs were far more interested their proclaimed high degree than actual practice. Regardie realised that the teachings of the Golden Dawn were in danger of being lost forever and decided to break his oath to the order. After leaving them he wrote The Golden Dawn which was published in 1937.

Some of the order members were furious that he had broken his oath but others saw the sense in his belief that the teachings of the order must be protected and made available for future generations.

In the same year, Regardie returned to America and began studying psychotherapy and psychology, gaining a degree in psychology in 1941. During this time he continued his writing on magic and published more books which were eagerly bought buy the magical community which was growing, primarily due to his earlier works.

When America joined in World War 2 Regardie closed his practice and enlisted. After the war had finished he returned to his studies and gained a doctorate in psychology. In 1947 he moved to California and set up a practice as a chiropractor and Reichian therapist. Throughout the fifties he concentrated on building up his practice and distanced himself from other occultists although he continued to write books thoughout this period.

In 1981 he retired from practice work and moved to Arizona, where he continued writing and also came into contact with modern Golden Dawn practitioners. As a (former) member of the Stella Matutinis, the original inheritors of the Golden Dawn tradition, Regardie was able to initiate them and so preserved a valid branch of the initiatory lineage of the Golden Dawn in America:

Israel Regardie was eating at a restaurant in with friends in on March 10th 1985 when he suffered a massive heart attack and died. His legacy lives on throughevery person who finds meaning in his work and it is without doubt that without his work the Western Mystery Tradition would not exist in the form it does today.

* A Garden of Pomegranates

* The Tree of Life

* My Rosicrucian Adventure

* The Golden Dawn

* The Art of True Healing

* The Middle Pillar

* The Philosopher's Stone

* The Romance of Metaphysics

* The Art and Meaning of Magic

* Be Yourself, the Art of Relaxation

* New Wings for Daedalus

* Twelve Steps to Spiritual Enlightenment

* The Eye in the Triangle

* Roll Away the Stone

* The Legend of Aleister Crowley (with P.R. Stephenson)