Leila Waddell

Photo of Leila Waddell, Laylah, from Aleister Crowley's "The Book of Lies."

Leila Ida Nerissa Bathurst Waddell, also known as Laylah, (1880 – 14 September 1932) was a daughter of Irish immigrants to Australia, a famed Scarlet Woman of Aleister Crowley, and a powerful historical figure in magick and Thelema in her own right.

Crowley's muse

Waddell was born in Bathurst, New South Wales. She was familiarly addressed by Crowley as "Laylah," and was immortalized in The Book of Lies and The Confessions of Aleister Crowley. Waddell herself was an accomplished writer, magician, and musician, and a founding member of the original company of the Rites of Eleusis.

In 1912 Waddell, and fellow Crowley students Mary Desti and Mary Butts, were given co-authorship credit on Crowley's Magick (Book 4) as they wrote down his words, helped shape them by asking defining questions, and elicited Crowley's commentary on pertinent points.

Waddell performing during the Rites of Eleusis.

Laylah was, arguably, Aleister Crowley's most powerful muse, as she inspired numerous poems in addition to numerous chapters in The Book of Lies.

See also

• List of occultists
• Libri of Aleister Crowley
• Works of Aleister Crowley
• Sex Magick
• Babalon

External links

• Thelemapedia. (2004). Leila Waddell. Retrieved 28 April 2006.
• Obituary of Leila Waddell from the Sydney Herald. [1]