The song is an adaptation of Aleister Crowley's Hymn to Pan. In mythology, Pan was described as the god of the wild, shepherds, and sexual plunge. Crowley wrote the poem in 1913 during his visit to Moscow, and it was later published in The Equinox, an official periodical of his magical order.
Pan was a big part of Crowley's work. In Liber 777, he writes 'Pan is the All which is 0. He has the power of destroying all positive manifestation.'
The lore of Pan was in tune with Crawley's fundamental values. 'All things equally exalt him. He represents the finding of ecstasy in every phenomenon, however naturally repugnant; he transcends all limitations; he is Pan; he is All.' (from the Book of Thoth)
All indeed. The Greek word Pan translates as All, so he is 'a symbol of the Universal, a personification of Nature; both Pangenetor, "all-begetter," and Panphage, "all-devourer" (Sabazius, 1995).
Every Friday night, on Aphrodite's day, the Abbey of Thelema held an invocation of Pan. One of the interior walls was adorned with an image of Pan, created by Crowley.
The prologue of his Liber 7 is devoted to Pan. 'Pan! Io Pan! I love Thee. I love Thee'. The poem was read at Crowley's funeral, as requested by the author.
It took exactly 7 years for this song to come to life.
