The Secret Teachings of All Ages

1. Philosophy is the science of estimating values and the guide to divine reality.

Man's status in the natural world is determined, therefore, by the quality of his thinking.

The pursuit of wisdom. Philosophy is not merely academic speculation but the ultimate science of estimating values and establishing the relation of manifested things to their invisible cause. By elevating the mind above bestial instincts and mundane affairs, true philosophy guides the soul toward divine realities, transforming man from a brute into a demigod. It serves as the stabilizing influence in human thought, preventing man from establishing unreasonable codes of life.

Materialism vs. Idealism. Modern thought has drifted toward a sterile materialism, losing sight of the spiritual foundations of existence. True philosophy rescues the mind from the prison of physical senses and materialistic theology, introducing a hypothesis of living wholly beyond the pale of physical limitation. It establishes that the quality of our thinking determines our place in the cosmic hierarchy.

The three paths. To achieve this elevated state, the seeker must harmonize three distinct aspects of life:

• Right thinking: organizing the intellectual faculties through logic and reason.
• Right feeling: purifying the emotional nature through art, aesthetics, and music.
• Right action: living a life of virtue, utility, and service to others.

2. The ancient Mysteries divided truth into exoteric fables and esoteric secrets.

To the discerning few were revealed the esoteric, or spiritual, teachings, while the unqualified many received only the literal, or exoteric, interpretations.

The double doctrine. Ancient religious and philosophical systems recognized that the masses were unprepared for abstract spiritual truths. Consequently, they divided their teachings: the exoteric, consisting of literal myths and personified deities, was given to the public; the esoteric, containing the deep scientific and spiritual laws of Nature, was reserved for initiated minds. While the ignorant multitudes worshiped the outer symbols, the wise recognized the abstract truths they represented.

The sacred sanctuaries. In every ancient civilization, secret societies known as the Mysteries served as the custodians of this transcendental knowledge. Initiates underwent rigorous, often perilous trials to prove their moral and intellectual fitness before receiving the keys to these sacred sciences. These schools were the true inspiration of the various doctrines promulgated by the ancient philosophers.

The decline of institutions. Over time, as virtue decayed, these sacred institutions became corrupted, and their spiritual secrets were lost to the public. However, the core truths survived through a continuous chain of initiated guardians:

• The Egyptian priests of Isis and Osiris.
• The Greek hierophants of Eleusis and Samothrace.
• The Druids of Britain and Gaul.
• The Essenes of Palestine.

3. Symbolism is the universal language of the ancient Mysteries and Nature.

In a single figure a symbol may both reveal and conceal, for to the wise the subject of the symbol is obvious, while to the ignorant the figure remains inscrutable.

The language of Nature. Symbolism is the primary tongue of mysticism, philosophy, and Nature itself, transcending the limitations of human alphabets and spoken languages. Every form in the physical world is a concrete symbol of the divine activity and spiritual force that produced it. Rejecting man-conceived dialects as inadequate, the ancient sages chose symbolism to preserve their transcendental knowledge.

Concealment and revelation. The initiates of antiquity chose symbols to preserve their sacred knowledge from the vandalism of time and the persecution of the ignorant. A symbol acts as a silent guardian, revealing its profound truths to those who possess the keys of interpretation while remaining entirely meaningless to the profane. It allows the secret doctrine to be preserved in plain sight.

Key symbolic devices:

• The Cross: representing the four elements and the crucifixion of spirit in matter.
• The Serpent: symbolizing cosmic energy, spiritual fire, and divine wisdom.
• The Egg: representing the unmanifested universe and the embryonic soul.
• The Eye: signifying divine awareness, providence, and the pineal gland.

4. The myth of the dying and resurrected god is a universal archetype of human regeneration.

The secret processes whereby He was resurrected symbolized those cultures by means of which man is able to overcome his lower nature, master his appetites, and give expression to the higher side of himself.

The solar savior. Across almost every ancient mythology, the central drama revolves around a beautiful, solar deity who is betrayed, murdered by evil forces, and subsequently restored to life. This myth is not merely an astronomical allegory of the sun's annual journey, but a profound psychological map of the human soul's spiritual journey. The resurrection of the god represents the triumph of the spiritual nature over the material.

The spiritual resurrection. The death of the god represents the descent of the divine spirit into the material world, where it is imprisoned and fragmented within the physical body. The resurrection symbolizes the spiritual awakening of the initiate, who, by mastering his lower animal nature, releases the divine spark within himself. The Mysteries were organized to assist the struggling human creature to reawaken these sleeping spiritual powers.

Universal personifications of the myth:

• Osiris: murdered by Typhon and resurrected by Isis in Egypt.
• Bacchus: torn to pieces by the Titans and restored to life in Greece.
• Mithras: the Persian mediator who slays the cosmic bull to release life.
• Balder: the beautiful Scandinavian god slain by the mistletoe arrow of Loki.
• Hiram Abiff: the Master Builder of Masonic legend murdered by three ruffians.

5. Hermes Trismegistus represents the personification of the Universal Mind and Hermetic wisdom.

The appellation 'Thrice Greatest' was given to Hermes because he was considered the greatest of all philosophers, the greatest of all priests, and the greatest of all kings.

The father of wisdom. Hermes Trismegistus, identified with the Egyptian Thoth, is the legendary founder of the arts, sciences, medicine, and magic. He represents the personification of the Universal Mind, and his writings served as the fountainhead of Egyptian, Greek, and Christian mysticism. His transcendent learning caused him to be revered as the messenger of the gods.

The lost books. Hermes is said to have written tens of thousands of sacred books containing the secrets of the universe, most of which were destroyed during the burning of the Alexandrian libraries. The surviving fragments, such as the Emerald Tablet and the Divine Pymander, contain the core principles of Hermetic philosophy and cosmogony. These writings have been preserved in secret vaults by the initiated successors of the Hermetic Arcanum.

The Vision of Poimandres. In his most famous vision, Hermes beholds the Great Dragon, Poimandres, who reveals the mystery of creation:

• The universe was formed from an archetypal mold in the Divine Mind.
• Man is a composite being, containing both an immortal sky-man and a mortal physical body.
• The soul must ascend through the seven planetary spheres to regain its divine estate.

6. The Great Pyramid of Gizeh was the supreme temple of initiation into the Mysteries.

Through the mystic passageways and chambers of the Great Pyramid passed the illumined of antiquity. They entered its portals as men; they came forth as gods.

The house of hidden places. Contrary to modern archaeological theories, the Great Pyramid was not built as a tomb for a pharaoh, but as the first and greatest temple of the Mysteries. It was a monument erected to preserve the mathematical, astronomical, and spiritual secrets of an ancient, highly advanced civilization. It stood as the supreme sanctuary of the secret doctrine of Egypt.

The ritual of the second birth. The interior chambers of the pyramid were designed as a stage for the drama of initiation and spiritual regeneration. In the King's Chamber, the candidate was laid in the granite coffer, symbolizing the death of the personal ego, before his soul was liberated to soar through the celestial spheres. He was then given the secret and unutterable name of the Supreme Deity.

Mathematical and cosmic alignments:

• The pyramid's square base represents the material elements of the earth.
• Its four triangular faces symbolize the threefold spiritual power rising from matter.
• The structure perfectly squares the circle and aligns with the cardinal points.
• The missing capstone signifies that the temple of humanity is yet unfinished.

7. The human body is the ultimate microcosm, mirroring the laws of the macrocosm.

The pagan Mysteries were primarily concerned with instructing neophytes in the true relationship existing between the Macrocosm and the Microcosm--in other words, between God and man.

The grand man. The ancient sages taught that the human body is a miniature replica of the entire universe, containing within its organs and functions the analogues of all celestial laws, planets, and elements. By studying the anatomy and physiology of man, the initiate could unlock the secrets of the supreme, unmanifested Deity. This concept is the foundation of the ancient maxim, "Know thyself."

The three centers. The human constitution is divided into three primary spiritual-physical centers, which correspond to the three suns of the solar system. These centers govern the different aspects of human consciousness and must be brought into perfect equilibrium:

• The Brain: the center of intellectual power and the link between spirit and matter.
• The Heart: the most spiritual organ, representing the seat of divine consciousness.
• The Generative System: the center of physical creation and material manifestation.

The temple of flesh. The physical body is not to be despised, but revered as the living temple of the living God. Through the purification of its elements and the stimulation of its latent spiritual centers, man's physical form is transformed into a holy sanctuary. The spiritual nature of man is the invisible cause and controlling power of his visible material personality.

8. Numbers, mathematics, and musical harmony are the structural foundations of creation.

Pythagoreanism may be summarized as a system of metaphysical speculation concerning the relationships between numbers and the causal agencies of existence.

The science of numbers. Pythagoras conceived mathematics to be the most sacred and exact of all sciences, demonstrating that numbers are the primary patterns used by the Creator to organize chaos into an orderly universe. The Monad (1) represents the all-inclusive Unity, the Duad (2) represents polarity and division, the Triad (3) represents equilibrium, and the Tetrad (4) represents the material foundation. These numbers are the keys to the universal laws of nature.

The music of the spheres. The universe is an immense musical instrument, a monochord stretched between heaven and earth, whose planets and stars emit distinct tones as they move through space. This celestial harmony, or "music of the spheres," is governed by the same mathematical ratios that control the diatonic scale. The soul of man must be attuned to this cosmic harmony to achieve liberation.

The therapeutic power of sound:

• Music has the power to heal physical diseases and harmonize the emotional nature.
• The seven Greek musical modes correspond to the seven planets and the seven vowels.
• Chants and mantras can stimulate the latent spiritual centers along the human spine.

9. Alchemy is the spiritual science of human regeneration disguised as metallic transmutation.

The purpose of alchemy was not to make something out of nothing but rather to fertilize and nurture the seed which was already present.

The spiritual chemistry. While popular history views alchemy as a foolish attempt to turn lead into gold, the true alchemists were Hermetic philosophers who used chemical terminology to conceal the secrets of spiritual regeneration. The base metals represent man's lower, ignorant nature, while gold represents his purified, divine consciousness. Alchemy is the art of increasing and bringing into perfect flower the spiritual seed within.

The three principles. The alchemical process relies upon three symbolic substances: Salt (the body), Sulphur (the spirit), and Mercury (the soul). By dissolving, purifying, and reuniting these three principles in the alchemical retort of the human body, the philosopher prepares the Elixir of Life and the Philosopher's Stone. This process is identical to the spiritualization of the physical form.

The alchemical process:

• Calcination: the burning away of material dross through the fire of aspiration.
• Putrefaction: the death of the personal ego, turning the substance black.
• Albedo: the purification of the soul, turning the substance white.
• Rubedo: the final spiritualization and attainment of the red elixir of immortality.

10. The secret doctrine has been preserved through history by hidden societies and cryptic codes.

But, lest these secret processes fall into uncultured hands and be perverted, the Great Arcanum was always concealed in symbol or allegory; and those who can today discover its lost keys may open with them a treasure house of philosophic, scientific, and religious truths.

The underground stream. Following the decline of the pagan Mysteries, the secret doctrine was forced underground to escape the persecution of dogmatic theology. It was preserved and transmitted through the centuries by a succession of secret societies, including the Gnostics, the Knights Templars, the Alchemists, the Rosicrucians, and the Freemasons. These groups kept the lamp of wisdom burning through the Dark Ages.

Cryptic signatures. To communicate with each other and transmit their secrets safely to posterity, these societies employed intricate ciphers, watermarks, and symbolic designs. Sir Francis Bacon, a high Rosicrucian initiate, is believed to have used his secret ciphers to write the Shakespearian plays and edit the King James Bible. These codes allow the initiated to recognize the presence of the secret doctrine.

The vehicles of preservation:

• The Tarot: the mysterious "Book of Thoth" disguised as a deck of playing cards.
• The Qabbalah: the unwritten, secret tradition of Israel containing the keys to the Torah.
• The Tabernacle: an Egyptian-style temple of initiation built in the wilderness.
• The Rosicrucian Manifestoes: revealing the existence of the "Society of the Rose Cross."