It’s Official: Lovecraft Used The Term “Cthulhu” As A Code Word For Thelema!

Over the past few decades there has been a lot of speculation as to whether fiction writer, H. P. Lovecraft, ever had any dealings with Aleister Crowley. This has been a subject of debate for quite some time. There is the rumor that Lovecraft’s wife, Sonia Greene, had a “friendship” with Crowley and information was exchanged between them. There is also a huge comparison between Crowley’s magical thesis and Lovecraft’s fiction in the introductory pages of the Simon Necronomicon. Additionally, we have the works of legendary Kenneth Grant, who was a student of Crowley, and later in life became a big proponent of the occult symbolism behind Lovecraft’s fiction. So what is the real deal behind Crowley and Lovecraft? Well, let’s get to the truth of the matter!

Fact #1: Evidence proves that H. P. Lovecraft was an occultist.

Readers should avoid writers who make outlandish claims that Lovecraft was not an occultist. You can’t dictate or know what a man does in his private life, regardless of what he says in public. You have politicians who are indebted to the Klu Klux Klan, but deny it in public. In such cases, we have to look at the history of the person in question to be able to determine if what they are saying in public is true. Occult author, Donald Tyson, in his book, The Dream World of H.P. Lovecraft, wrote concerning Lovecraft:

“He later described the circumstances in his brief essay, “A Confession of Unfaith,” written in 1921. It is worth quoting this passage in full, because it has bearing on the side of Lovecraft we will examine together in later chapters, his esoteric and paranormal side.”

Tyson then goes on to quote Lovecraft as saying the following in the essay A Confession of Unfaith:

“When about seven or eight I was a genuine pagan….I have in literal truth built altars to Pan, Apollo, Diana, and Athena, and have watched for dryads and satyrs…If a Christian tell me he has felt the reality of his Jesus or Jehovah. I can reply that I have seen the hoofed Pan and the sisters of the Hesperian Phaethusa.”

A Confession of Unfaith, which Tyson quotes, is Lovecraft’s own testimony that he at one time engaged in magical practices during his youth. During the tender ages of seven and eight, Lovecraft was doing rituals in his backyard at a time when Crowley was having tantrums over his father’s Christian beliefs. Yes, Lovecraft was doing magic long before Aleister Crowley. A gate opened in his mind.

Fact #2: The Number 93 Is What Brings Lovecraft and Crowley Together

93 is a very important number in Thelema. Under a Wikipedia article entitled 93 (Thelema), we read:

“The central philosophy of Thelema is in two phrases from Liber AL: “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law” and “Love is the law, love under will.” The two primary terms in these statements are “Will” and “Love”, respectively. In the Greek language, they are Thelema (Will) and Agape (Love). Using the Greek technique of isopsephy, which applies a numerical value to each letter, the letters of each of these words sum to 93″

The number 93 is so important in Thelema that it is often used as a greeting between Thelemites. Now this is how we know that Lovecraft and Crowley used to send messages to each other in code. Let’s take a look at the word Cthulhu.

C(3) + T(20) + H(8) + U(21) + L(12) + H(8) + U(21) = 93

It is not a coincidence that we find Lovecraft’s Cthulhu to be the sum of 93 in simple gematria. Thus, the Cthulhu Cult is a reference to the Cult of Thelema. The Cthulhu Mythos would be symbolic of a Thelemic Mythos. The Call of Cthulhu is now The Call of Thelema. Now the plot gets deeper when we examine the place where Cthulhu is said the dwell, R’lyeh.

R(18) + L(12) + Y(25) + E(5) + H(8) = 68

CTHULHU (93) + R’LYEH (68) = 161

As seen in our equations above, R’lyeh, the city where Cthulhu is said to reside, Dead but Dreaming, has the simple gematric sum of 68. When added with that of Cthulhu’s we get 161. it seems beyond a coincidence that the sum of Cthulhu and R’lyeh should add up to 161. This number can refer to either, Liber 161: Concerning the law of Thelema, or the “Goetic Demons of Decans by Day,” which falls under the number 161 in Liber 777.

While anybody can be an adherent of Thelema, the guiding hand of its membership uses many tools found in society to fulfill its aims. Fiction being one of these. Most oppressed people used the arts, and the symbolism associated with these talent, to send messages in code. Since the work of an occultist has always come under the fire of religion, Lovecraft used fiction as a means of communicating with Thelemites of a certain rank and order.

It’s Official Part II: Lovecraft Modeled His Character “Keziah Mason” After Aleister Crowley’s Wife Rose Kelly!