"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law."

The AA is the Supreme and Eternal Inner School of initiates who have in all times overseen the evolution of consciousness on this planet (and, presumably, elsewhere). This order has assumed various forms and names throughout history. In all cases, however, its chief work is the preparation of the individual for Initiation.

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

Order of the Silver Star

Also recognised by the Initials A.: A.: or even S.: S.:.

A fraternal organisation founded to transmit the way of illumination.

The Aim of Religion, the Method of Science.

The Initiates of the A.: A.: are supposed to have attained to the Summit of this Art, and communicate their knowledge through a student / teacher relationship. A system of Magical Grades is utilized which follows the pattern of the Qabalistic Tree of Life. The individual has one teacher above them in the order, and later after higher grades are attained, a student below them. Accordingly one cannot progress in the Order until one has prepared another to fill one's own position within the ranks. No monetary funds are allowed to be exacted of the members of the A.: A.:.

Love is the law, love under will.

An organisation started by Aleister Crowley (although he claimed earlier antecedents, and that it was controlled by the Secret Chiefs). The :. symbol (actually supposed to be an equilateral triangle of dots, but that's hard to do in ASCII, sometimes written as .'.) is supposed to mean they possess 'the Mason word'.

The organisation is actually a splinter group from the Hermetic Order Of The Golden Dawn, which Crowley left, after arguing with its leader, S. L. MacGregor Mathers.

Contrary to the popular image of Crowley portrayed in the media, the main teachings of the A:. A:. are not 'Satanic' or to do with 'witchcraft', rather they combine Yoga and Qaballah along with various other mystical techniques, in an attempt to 'contact the Holy Guardian Angel', a metaphor for contacting one's own subconscious.