20 posts tagged “freemasonry”

In podcast episode 72, Christopher Knowles returns to the show for the second part of our fascinating interview (if you haven’t already, please listen to part 1 – Christopher Knowles and The Secret Sun, pt. 1).

Our Gods Wear Spandex

Chris is the author of the Eagle Award-winning “Our Gods Wear Spandex: The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes,” published by Red Wheel/Weiser and co-author of “The Complete X-Files: Behind the Series, the Myths, and the Movies,” published by Insight Editions. This time, Chris joins us for a very in-depth discussion about the themes explored in his blog, “The Secret Sun”.

Uvsun_trace_big

We begin with some thoughts about space travel and then delve into the concept of secrecy and its role throughout history. Chris expresses the view that modern technology and society are evolving with greater openness and availability of information. He also discusses the possibilities of learning about ourselves from the history of humanity through the ages.

Musei_Vaticani_Mithra_Sol_invictus

Next, we explore the concept of ancient astronaut theory as well as its synchronistic manifestations in popular culture and media. Of course, these ideas are all attempts to provide a narrative for the origins of humanity. We discuss the interpretive methods used when analyzing ancient texts, from literal to esoteric exegesis.

SunFromClouds

In podcast episode 71, our good friend Mitch Horowitz returns for the second part of our conversation about his excellent new book, “Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation” published by Bantam (if you haven’t already, please listen to the first part of the interview – Mitch Horowitz and “Occult America” pt.1). Mitch is the editor-in-chief of Tarcher / Peguin in New York and has also been our guest previously in podcast 21, Podcast 42 – The Life and Work of Paul Foster Case, and Podcast 48 – The Life and Work of Col. Henry Steel Olcott.

Occult America

Mitch begins this interview by recounting the story of Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism. Smith was raised in the Burned-over district in upstate New York and he and his family were steeped in supernatural ideas and practices, including astrology and magic. Knowledge of the occult and folklore traditions of the Burned-over District are integral to understanding Smith and his family. For example, as a young man, Smith earned money using “seer stones” to find buried treasure.

Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial

Mitch explains how the background knowledge about Joseph Smith may allow us to understand his later experiences that led to the founding of his church in a different way. Smith was also a Freemason and Masonic philosophy, rites, and symbols influenced his religious practices.

Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial inscription

Next, Mitch reviews the origins and continued popularity of the Ouija Board. Although it is marketed as a toy or game, there are many examples of paranormal activity associated with its use.

English_ouija_board

Last, Mitch delves into the story of Edgar Cayce. An extremely popular medium, Cayce is notable for the tremendous number of accurate predictions and readings that he gave while in a trance state. Mitch also highlights the high moral character of Cayce and its importance in the growth of New Age ideas and philosophies.

Edgar Cayce On Prophecy

Again, I highly recommend “Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation” by Mitch Horowitz. It is a well-researched, well-written and a crucial record of the hidden history of the United States.

relevant links:

Mitch Horowitz

“Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation” by Mitch Horowitz

Mitch Horowitz and “Occult America” pt.1

Podcast 42 – The Life and Work of Paul Foster Case

Podcast 48 – The Life and Work of Col. Henry Steel Olcott

“Burned-over District” Wikipedia entry

“Joseph Smith, Jr.” Wikipedia entry

“The Magus” by Francis Barrett

“Three Books of Occult Philosophy” by Henry Cornelius Agrippa of Nettesheim

“Book of Mormon” Wikipedia entry

“Mormonism” Wikipedia entry

“Latter Day Saint movement” Wikipedia entry

“William Morgan (anti-Mason)” Wikipedia entry

“Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial” Wikipedia entry

“Ouija” Wikipedia entry

“The Changing Light at Sandover” Wikipedia entry

“Edgar Cayce” Wikipedia entry

Association for Research and Enlightenment

intro music by HipGnosis

background music by Darkfold – “Nomads”

outro music by William Zeitler – “The Fixed Stars, the Frontier to the Beyond”

download .mp3 podcast file -- http://media.blubrry.com/occultofpersonality/www.occultofpersonality.net/wp-content/uploads/OoP_Podcast71_OccultAmerica_2.mp3

In podcast episode 70, our good friend Mitch Horowitz joins us again to discuss his excellent new book, “Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation” published by Bantam Books. Mitch is the editor-in-chief of Tarcher / Peguin in New York and has been our guest previously in podcast 21, Podcast 42 – The Life and Work of Paul Foster Case, and Podcast 48 – The Life and Work of Col. Henry Steel Olcott.

Occult_America

Mitch begins our conversation by describing his observations of the esoteric history of the United States of America. American occultists evangelized esoteric ideas and planted the seeds for alternative New Age spirituality and self-help concepts, like positive thinking, that have spread around the world today. The intertwining of this occult history and the social development of the country is very often overlooked, glossed-over, or written out of mainstream history. Then Mitch tells us the intriguing story of the Publick Universal Friend, a spirit channeler that was the first public female religious figure in the country.

Masonic symbolism

Next, Mitch talks about the speculation about America’s role as a laboratory for religious exploration. He describes the integral role that Freemasonry and its philosophy played in the formation of the United States of America and its influence towards greater religious tolerance and liberalism cannot be overstated. He discusses the origins of the Craft and the real requirement for secrecy in the past and employment of ancient symbolism.

Frederick_Douglass

Mitch tells us about the Hoodoo experience of abolitionist, editor, orator, author, statesman and reformer, Frederick Douglass, at a crucial moment in his life. He talks about writer and spiritual teacher Ernest Holmes and his philosophies of mind power and positive thinking.

Henry_A._Wallace

Then Mitch discusses Henry A. Wallace, a progressive public servant who served as President Franklin Roosevelt’s secretary of agriculture and the 33rd vice-president. Wallace was an avid esoteric student and is responsible for suggesting the placement of the reverse of The Great Seal of the United States on the one dollar note. The controversy surrounding the public disclosure of Wallace’s letters to mystic Nicholas Roerich was the undoing of his public career.

US_Great_Seal_Reverse

Finally, we talk about the modern acceptance of the ideas of people, schools, and movements that are considered New Age. Mitch lists these as:

“1. Belief in the therapeutic value of spiritual or religious ideas.
2. Belief in a mind-body connection in health.
3. Belief that human consciousness is evolving to higher stages.
4. Belief that thoughts, in some greater or lesser measure, determine reality.
5. Belief that spiritual understanding is available without allegiance to a specific religion or doctrine.”

I highly recommend “Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation” by Mitch Horowitz. It is a comprehensive, well-researched, and masterful history that is an instant classic!

Stay tuned for the second part our interview…

relevant links:

Mitch Horowitz

“Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation” by Mitch Horowitz

Podcast 42 – The Life and Work of Paul Foster Case

Podcast 48 – The Life and Work of Col. Henry Steel Olcott

“Jemima Wilkinson” Wikipedia entry (Publick Universal Friend)

“Burned-over District” Wikipedia entry

“Mediumship” Wikipedia entry

“Frederick Douglass” Wikipedia entry

“Hoodoo (folk magic)” Wikipedia entry

“Ernest Holmes” Wikipedia entry

“The Science of Mind” by Ernest Holmes

“365 Science of Mind: A Year of Daily Wisdom” by Ernest Holmes

“Love and Law” by Ernest Holmes

“Prayer: How to Pray Effectively from the Science of Mind” by Ernest Holmes

“Henry A. Wallace” Wikipedia entry

“Great Seal of the United States: 1935 dollar bill” Wikipedia entry

intro music by HipGnosis

background music by Darkfold – “Nomads”

outro music by William Zeitler – “The Fixed Stars, the Frontier to the Beyond“

original link -- http://www.occultofpersonality.net/mitch-horowitz-and-occult-america-pt-1/

direct link to download .mp3 podcast file -- http://media.blubrry.com/occultofpersonality/www.occultofpersonality.net/wp-content/uploads/OoP_Podcast70_OccultAmerica_1.mp3

Subscribe to this feed • Share on Facebook • Email this • Email the author • Stumble It! • Add to del.icio.us • Digg This! • View CC license

Coming Soon!

I am pleased to announce that Occult of Personality will soon offer additional recordings as part of a new members subscription section. In these additional interviews and conversations, featured guests will provide expertise in specific areas of esoteric study. Members will also have access to meditations guided by featured guests that utilize the power of consciousness to aid in personal development. The audio archives of older podcast episodes will be made available to members as an added bonus.

In addition to receiving extra audio recordings for most upcoming guests on the show, listeners will also have an option to sign up for Rising Phoenix Foundation’s “The Inner Fire Journal” by David Goddard (our guest in episodes 54 and 62). “The Inner Fire Journal” is dedicated to the practice of true Alchemy and the Hermetic Arts and is published each month. “The Inner Fire Journal” features high grade Western Mystery teachings, guided meditations, audio, video, and more.

Look for more details about how you can sign up for the Occult of Personality membership subscription in the next episode!

—————————————————————————————————————

In podcast episode 68, we’re joined again by Christopher Knowles. Chris is the author of the Eagle Award-winning “Our Gods Wear Spandex: The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes,” published by Red Wheel/Weiser and co-author of “The Complete X-Files: Behind the Series, the Myths, and the Movies,” published by Insight Editions. This time, Chris joins us for a very in-depth discussion about the themes explored in his blog, “The Secret Sun”.

Sun

Re-Horakhty

Chris expresses his view that the evolution of humanity will include the development of many concepts that are now considered marginal, but celebrated in popular culture and media, such as psychism, psychedelics, shamanism, and other ways of changing consciousness. Of course, these ideas hearken back to ancient cultures.

Solvogn

Chris talks about his views of ancient Mystery schools, esoteric orders, Freemasonry and the similar symbols that they employ. He shares his thoughts about the Sirius mystery and we talk about the multiple levels of meaning in esoteric symbols and texts. From there, we delve into ancient astronaut theory, space travel, and the living Universe of which everything is an expression.

Apollo

Chris stresses the importance of asking questions instead of finding answers. He also talks about the utilization of science fiction, and fiction in general, to express ideas that often are not considered seriously outside of that realm.

Don’t miss the second part of this fascinating conversation…

relevant links:

The Secret Sun

The Solar Satellite

The Solar Seminar

“Our Gods Wear Spandex: The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes” by Christopher Knowles

“The Complete X-Files: Behind the Series, the Myths, and the Movies” by Chris Knowles and Matt Hurwitz

intro music by HipGnosis and Darkfold

outro music by John McNair – “Pagan Queen”

download .mp3 podcast -- http://media.blubrry.com/occultofpersonality/www.occultofpersonality.net/wp-content/uploads/OoP_Podcast68_ChrisKnowles_it.mp3

Carroll “Poke” Runyon is the Archimage of Ordo Templi Astartes, the longest running, continuously operating magical lodge in the U.S.A. He and his order have published a remarkable series of books and videos detailing their Workings in Solomonic Magick, scrying, and seasonal rites.

Book of Solomonic Magick

Our conversation begins as Poke describes his early life and how he became interested in esoteric ideas and practices, primarily for health reasons. We discuss the various aspects and practices that encourage personal unfoldment, including certain yogic disciplines, universal archetypes and symbolism, and relating scientific concepts to more ancient Hermetic ideas. Poke then gets into discussing using self-hypnosis as part of the scrying process and how he discovered this important ingredient. From there we get into talking about Phoenician Canaanite religion and mythology as well as the seasonal rites that celebrate them.

Rites of Magick

Phoenician Canaanite religion is directly related to the concept of the Temple of Solomon and builder Chiram Abiff. Next, we discuss the the Lost Word of Freemasonry. Poke explains how the legend relates the concept that, “Only the Kings still understand that the Lost Word is Light within us all.” Poke tells us how, historically, Freemasonry has always provided a common ground for men of different faiths and creeds to come together as equals. He also discusses the more modern transformations that have occurred, specifically with regard to the 28th degree of the Scottish Rite - The Knight of the Sun or Prince Adept.

Knight_of_the_sun

Then we talk about Poke’s film, “Beyond Lemuria: The Shaver Mystery and the Secret of Mt. Shasta.” He describes the way he was fascinated by Richard Shaver and had his own experience on Mt. Shasta. The film has several notable occult authors cast as archetypal teachers and a story that employs mystery, myth, magick, and spirituality to take the viewer on a journey.

Beyond Lemuria

First, on this the occasion of the 50th episode, I want to express my thanks to all who have listened to Occult of Personality podcasts as well as all the writers and researchers who have graciously spent some of their time with us. It is my humble wish that you may have learned as much by listening to these podcasts as I have by helping to create them.

——————————————————————————————————

In this 50th episode, we’re joined by Masonic scholar, researcher, and writer Angel Millar. He has an extensive historical knowledge of The Craft and associated fraternal orders and societies. We begin our conversation with the subject of the origins of Freemasonry and the seemingly diverse streams that may have fed it, specifically ancient Mysteries, stone masons, neo-Templarism, Enlightenment philosophies, and Christianity.

"Freemasonry: A History" by Angel Millar

The discussion delves into Rosicrucianism, particularly the Golden Rosicrucians that formed the basis for later Masonic Rosicrucian societies, such as Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia. This material is fascinating for those that enjoys the mysteries of the origins of Freemasonry and Rosicrucianism. Millar does a fantastic job of explaining his perspective based on extensive research displayed in both his first book, “Freemasonry: A History” and upcoming book, “The Forest of Symbols: Freemasonry and the Western Esoteric Tradition” soon to be released by Ouroboros Press.

"The Forest of Symbols: Freemasonry and the Western Esoteric Tradition" by Angel Millar

We also cover topics like Sacred Geometry, the concept of clandestine or irregular Masonry, The Rite of Strict Observance, The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and Aleister Crowley’s Masonic adventures.

Rose Croix

Writer and reporter Louis Sahagun joins us to discuss his amazing new book, “Master of the Mysteries: The Life of Manly Palmer Hall” available from Process Media. Louis’ book is an incredibly well-researched and revealing a biography of Manly Hall that contains so many previously unknown facts and stories that it is simply amazing. This book is a must-read for anyone that considers themselves a student of Hall and his work, or is simply interested in how a man came from almost nothing and made himself into one of the greatest teachers of his generation.

Louis Sahagun's "Master of the Mysteries"

Our conversation begins by discussing how Louis came to know Hall and his work and describes his approach to writing the book as a history of Hall and the city of Los Angeles growing up together. Next, we talk about Manly Hall’s early life and how he began his career as a teacher and seer. In the early years, Hall was identified with Rosicrucianism, as were some of his contemporaries, including Max Heindel’s widow, Augusta, and H. Spencer Lewis. We get into Hall’s history as a Freemason and how this affected the subject matter of his writings and lectures. We trace the progression from writings on Magic, Tarot, Alchemy, and Freemasonry to his later works on mysticism, meditation, Eastern philosophy, and comparative religion. We also discuss the later years and Hall’s very mysterious death at the hands of the man who was supposed to be his friend and aide. Hall’s accomplishments are legion, including the hundreds of books, thousands of lectures, and the Philosophical Research Society that still stands as a living monument to the Wisdom of the Ages compiled by Hall during his lifetime.

PRS library doors

Our friend Bishop T Allen Greenfield returns to the show to talk about Gnostic history and philosophy.

"Ancient of Days" by William Blake (1794)

Dr. Greenfield is particularly well-qualified to discuss this subject considering his extensive experience in Gnostic churches serving as bishop. Our conversation covers the definition of Gnosis and Gnostic, the history of ancient sects, the philosophy through the ages, modern permutations of the Gnostic doctrine, and Dr. Greenfield’s own personal lineage.

an interpretation of the Gnostic Cosmos

2 comments

Notable points include differing perspectives on the concept of the Demiurgus and the resultant differences in the views on body and spirit, the secret societies and esoteric orders that have carried the Wisdom, and Apostolic succession.

"Montsalvat, the Castle of the Grail" by Franz Stassen (1903)

“These are mysteries, O Israel,
Difficult to understand.
With much searching shalt thou still fail
To grasp them,
Unless thy search be rightly prosecuted.
Yet the Way to Understanding is ever open
To him who will follow it steadfastly.
It is the Way of the Heart,
And thou shalt be guided therein
By thine own inner Hearing.”

- Paul Foster Case from “The Meditation on Vav” in “The Book of Tokens”

Key 5 - The Hierophant

relevant links:

Smashing Illusions - Dr. T Allen Greenfield’s Livejournal web site

The Assembly of the Knowledge and Wisdom of Solomon

“T Allen Greenfield’s Spiritual and Fraternal Heritage”

Ecclesia Gnostica Universalis

The North American College of Gnostic Bishops

previous appearances - “Podcast 35 - An Inquiry Into Suppressed Information“, “Podcast 31 - Scrying the Universe“, and “Podcast 17 - The Secret Cipher”

“Victorian Fire: The Origins of Sexual Magick” by T Allen Greenfield

“Fragments of a Faith Forgotten: The Gnostics, a Contibution to the Study of the Origins of Christianity” by G.R.S. Mead

“Gnosis: The Nature and History of Gnosticism” by Kurt Rudolph

“Gnosis and Hermeticism from Antiquity to Modern Times” by Roelof van den Broek

intro music by HipGnosis

outro music by The Quiet Earth Orchestra, excerpt of “God” (thanks to John Ludi)