The Hermetic Library Blog has posted an article by Heather Schubert on Anne Maria Macky née Hawkins, also known as Soror Fiat Yod, or The Unknown Soror — the person whose correspondence with Aleister Crowley eventually turned into Magick Without Tears. The article begins:
“The ‘Unknown Soror’ refers to the woman whose tenacity and thirst for spiritual and occult knowledge eventually led to the book we now know as, Aleister Crowley’s Magick Without Tears. The idea for this publication was born when he met a bright and inquisitive young woman in 1943 and he intended to call it Aleister Explains Everything. She was clearly on the path to her own spiritual enlightenment. They began corresponding immediately and as she walked her path, she questioned him about a wide array of occult and spiritual subjects. Barely any information is given about this mysterious Aspirant beyond the fact that she was female. There is a tiny reference to her in the foreword that appeared in the first edition of the book, but even though Karl Germer goes on to confirm possession of the letters she wrote to Aleister Crowley, there is still no mention of her name. Curiosity inspired me to discover more about this fascinating woman, the ‘Unknown’ Soror.”
Read the entire article here:
This essay will also appear in an upcoming issue of Daughters of Babalon, Volume II: The Women of Babalon, an anthology of works by a broad range of modern writers and artists that captures the rich and multifaceted aspects of the feminine current of Thelema.
