Occult of Personality

Appearance on The Kentroversy Tapes

nobody@vox.com(Occult of Personality) — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 01:26:35 +0200

KDB was gracious enough to invite me on his podcast, The Kentroversy Tapes, to discuss Occult of Personality and my research.

Check it out, along with the previous episodes of Kent's excellent podcast.

The Kentroversy Tapes ep. 08 - Occult of Personality

clipped from kentroversytapes.blogspot.com

KENTROVERSY TAPES PODCAST # 08 (July 16, 2007)
by Kentroversy

Greg of the excellent website and podcast known as OCCULT OF PERSONALITY is my guest on this week's KENTROVERSY TAPES podcast. We spoke about the idea of the SACRED denigrating into the PROFANE.

On this, THE KENTROVERSY TAPES podcast # 08, we have Greg from the OCCULT OF PERSONALITY websites and podcast. I have done Greg's show a few times now, and we always seem to have these highly interesting confabs whenever we get together about these subjects that are so central and integral to our work. When I invited Greg to come speak with my listeners, he was more than happy to do so.

I would encourage all interested in what Greg has to say, to check his websites and his podcast, which are excellent, and worthy of your attention.

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The Green Lion

nobody@vox.com(Occult of Personality) — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 21:24:53 +0200

Courtesy of Alchemy Notebook.

clipped from ninthwavedesigns.typepad.com

These pages are from my Moleskine Pocket Sketchbook and were done using a combination of liquid acrylic paints and watercolor pencils. I am interested in ways that Alchemical imagery corresponds with Jungian archetypes, and have begun this series of images to explore particular symbolic ideas.

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Another Grail Allegory

nobody@vox.com(Occult of Personality) — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 16:43:17 +0200

Researcher and writer Philip Coppens does an excellent job with the proposition that the Book of Thoth is the real Holy Grail.

clipped from www.philipcoppens.com

The Book of Thoth: the original and true Grail?

The Book of Thoth was a legendary, magical book that lay at the core of every Egyptian’s aspirations. But could it also be the original story of the Grail?

It is clear that when we look at Perceval, we are merely creating new characters in a story that was known and formed the backbone of the Egyptian religion. In short, the origins of the Grail can be traced back to Egypt… The Grail is Egyptian.

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"The Pictorial Symbols of Alchemy"

nobody@vox.com(Occult of Personality) — Sat, 19 May 2007 04:41:48 +0200

Free PDF download of "The Pictorial Symbols of Alchemy" by A.E. Waite, courtesy of Ursi's Eso Garden.

clipped from www.eso-garden.com

THE Hermetic Mystery- upon the higher interpretation of which I have spoken at considerable length in the previous paper and have created an analogy between its hidden meaning and that which I should term the centre of the Religions Mystery in Christendom- is the only branch of mystic and occult literature which lent itself to the decorative sense. I suppose that there are few people comparatively who at this day have any notion of the extent to which that sense was developed in the books of the adepts.

The Pictorial Symbols of Alchemy by Arthur Edward Waite. (PDF, 9 pages)

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Podcast 10 - "Enochian Initiation"

nobody@vox.com(Occult of Personality) — Tue, 08 May 2007 08:07:46 +0200

Occult of Personality Podcast 10 - "Enochian Initiation"

clipped from www.occultofpersonality.com

Frater W.I.T. joins us for a discussion of his book, “Enochian Initiation,” in which he describes the effects of the process by which he completed a number of magickal workings. We review a bit of the history of the Enochian tradition of Dr. John Dee, the various interpretations of magickal results, and how these workings relate to consciousness and reality.

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Alchemical Artwork

nobody@vox.com(Occult of Personality) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 09:46:35 +0200

Here's another great example of medieval and enlightenment era alchemical graphics from BibliOdyssey. Included is Mylius' famous painting that graces the cover of Manly Hall's The Secret Teachings of All Ages.

Enjoy.

clipped from bibliodyssey.blogspot.com

Georg von Welling 1719

"Ripley-Rolle - manuskrypt XVI w."
~~[I really have no idea but I wonder if this is meant to be after Richard Rolle (?)]~~
{It's actually: Ripley Scroll}

Michael Maier 1618

Robert Fludd 1638

Hieronymus Reusner 1588

Homo Zodiacus in: 'Guild Book of the Barber Surgeons of York', 15th century.

Johann Daniel Mylius 1618 [I, II, III, IV]

Freemasonry 1754

Jakob Böhme 1682

Jakob Böhme 1682 (previously and at Giornale Nuovo)

Abraham von Franckenberg 1639
(disciple, student and biographer of Jakob Böhme)

Emanuel Swedenborg 1734

(after) Ramon Llull 1470

An eclectic mix of esoterica purloined from the Polish site, Gnosis.
The above images come from the Iluminatornia section of the site.

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Historical Mysteries & Occult Personalities, Part I - Comte de St.-Germain

nobody@vox.com(Occult of Personality) — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 07:29:53 +0200

Although the 18th century is often referred to as the “Age of Reason and Enlightenment” in the history books of western civilization, this is merely an interpretation to avoid the prevalence of mysticism and occult studies by the very same men credited with scientistic philosophies. The resurgence in the ideals of alchemy and Hermeticism were in full bloom in western Europe and their colonies as evidenced by the study of historically important personages from George Washington and Benjamin Franklin to Voltaire and Rosseau and so many more. It is actually a very interesting dichotomy in that some occult philosophies predominant in this time period did actually seek to improve and progress humanity, although their motivations and methods may seem so antiquated as to be incomprehensible to some and questionable, at best, to others. No doubt one of the most interesting, being the most mysterious, was the Comte de St.-Germain.

Read more...

Comte de St.-Germain

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Introduction to Levi

nobody@vox.com(Occult of Personality) — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 07:20:17 +0100

Dogme et rituel de la haute magie: Tome 2. Rituel

Eliphas Levi

Behind the veil of all the hieratic and mystical allegories of ancient doctrines, behind the darkness and strange ordeals of all initiations, under the seal of all sacred writings, in the ruins of Nineveh or Thebes, on the crumbling stones of old temples and on the blackened visage of the Assyrian or Egyptian sphinx, in the monstrous or marvellous paintings which interpret to the faithful of India the inspired pages of the Vedas, in the cryptic emblems of our old books on alchemy, in the ceremonies practised at reception by all secret societies, there are found indications of a doctrine which is everywhere the same and everywhere carefully concealed.
- Eliphas Levi, Introduction to Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie

Eliphas Levi

Eliphas Levi's Goat of Mendes aka Baphomet

One of the most famous occultists of all time, Eliphas Levi's work is considered crucial.
Astute readers will recall that Levi, a native of Paris, was responsible for the drawing of the Goat of Mendes, symbolising Baphomet. Again, this hideous figure represents the "astral light" among many other occult concepts.

More to come...

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The Great Work of Manly Hall

nobody@vox.com(Occult of Personality) — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 03:50:06 +0100

... the great materialistic progress which we have venerated for so long is on the verge of bankruptcy. We can no longer believe that we are born into this world to accumulate wealth and abandon ourselves to mortal pleasures. We see the dangers and realize that we have been exploited for centuries. We were told the twentieth century was the most progressive that the world has ever known, but unfortunately the progression was in the direction of self-destruction.

To avoid a future of war, crime, and bankruptcy, the individual must begin to plan his own destiny, and the best source for the necessary information comes down to us through the writings of the ancients. The greatest knowledge of all time should be available ... in a book that would be a monument, not merely a coffin.

- Manly P. Hall in the preface to the diamond jubilee edition of The Secret Teachings of All Ages

The Secret Teachings of All Ages

Manly P. Hall

★★★★★

Perhaps one of the greatest works of occult reference ever composed, Manly P. Hall's The Secret Teachings of All Ages is a true masterpiece. Were it to be published for the first time nowadays, the subtitle would of course be included on the cover -- "An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic, and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy." This tome covers all these topics and many more. This is the book that sits on my desk as a reference to be opened first, whenever a question arises or a quote is required. Hall has truly recorded exactly what his title indicates. How this epic tome came to be is a story in itself.

Hall was born March 18, 1901 in Peterborough, Ontario. His parents divorced and he was raised in Sioux Falls, South Dakota by his maternal grandmother, Florence Palmer. A sickly child, Hall spent much of his time reading. At some point, they moved to Chicago and then Hall attended a military school. When Hall was sixteen, his grandmother died. Somehow, a young Manly Hall ended up in the care of a "self-styled Rosicrucian community" in California. Hall lived with this group until, at age nineteen, he became "suspicious of their claims of ancient wisdom" and moved out on his own. From this point, Hall's star began to rise. He lectured on various esoteric topics and garnered notoriety and sponsorship from many apparently very influential people to continue his esoteric studies. He traveled the world in search of ancient wisdom, including Egypt, India, China, and Japan. He was provided access to libraries containing ancient manuscripts that most men have never laid eyes upon, and most likely never will. Beginning in 1921 this research culminated in a two-year period from 1926 - 1928, during which time the majority of the research and writing was done. The most shocking thing of all is that this amazing book was completed before Hall's twenty-eighth birthday! Hall did not only research and write this massive book, he raised funds and published it himself. The first printing was primarily for the many who invested in his project. It was such a hit that it has never once been out-of-print.

Manly Palmer Hall

From his quote at the beginning of this piece, Hall's motivation for writing, securing financing, and self-publishing The Secret Teachings of All Ages was in reaction to the blatant and reckless materialism he saw in society at the expense of the spiritual and mystical. Hall seemed to realize quite early in life that, for him, and he believed humanity, materialism was a false light that would leave only empty shells. His intent was to stoke the inner flame of wisdom and convince people to turn inward, just as he had done. Throughout his life, Hall was not a social man, somewhat reclusive, he lived the life of an ascetic. He knew the things he wrote and spoke of because he lived the ideals -- "He who lives the Life shall know the Doctrine."

The Secret Teachings of All Ages reads like a book written by a master, someone who has studied these topics for a lifetime, not less than a decade. Hall was clearly a prodigy, or savant, of a sort with the ability to absorb, internalize and decipher esoteric knowledge from many thousands of sources, if not more. However, one must at least ask, is there not some other method that Hall employed to compose this authoritative work? The following exchange illustrates the point:

The first question Mr. Claude Bragdon, American mystic, asked Mr. Hall after their first meeting in New York in 1937 was: “Mr. Hall, how do you know so much more about the mathematics of Pythagoras than even the authorities on the subject?” Standing beside both these dear American friends of mine, I was wondering with trepidation in my heart what reply Mr. Hall would make. “Mr. Bragdon,” answered Mr. Hall quickly, unhesitatingly, and with a simultaneous flash of smile in his eyes and on his lips, “you are an occult philosopher. You know that it is easier to know things than to know how one knows those things.”

Is it likely that Hall was assisted in more than just access to materials? No one can answer that for certain, but keep a few things in mind: Hall was raised from age 16 to 19 by a Rosicrucian group, he was associated with a myriad of other societies, including Freemasonry, he was also familiar with most every mystical and esoteric practice that was ever known in the past several thousand years, and probably some that weren't so well known.

There are also a number of accusations regarding the book and Hall's association with Masonry that concern Lucifer. In scouring the book to determine the nature of these charges, there doesn't seem to be much basis. To be clear, let me quote from the text, the main section dealing with Lucifer, in a section entitled, "The Sun, A Universal Deity," and you can be the judge:

Certain Rosicrucian scholars have given special appellations to these three phases of the sun: the spiritual sun they called Vulcan; the soular and intellectual sun, Christ and Lucifer respectively; and the material sun, the Jewish Demiurgus Jehovah; Lucifer here represents the intellectual mind without the illumination of the spiritual mind; therefore it is "the false light." The false light is finally overcome and redeemed by the true light of the soul, called the Second Logos or Christ. The secret processes by which the Luciferian intellect is transmuted into the Christly intellect constitute one of the great secrets of alchemy, and are symbolized by the process of transmuting base metals into gold. (p. 142)

As Hall wished during his lifetime for people to turn away from their base instincts toward the spiritual and philosophical pursuits, his great work accomplishes that. The Secret Teachings of All Ages has been recognized as one of the foremost books on spirituality, the occult, and ancient myth and symbolism ever written. Although never out of print, when the Reader's Edition was published in 2003, the book became even more popular. In an effort to understand Manly Hall and his great work a bit more, we're pleased to bring you an interview with Mitch Horowitz, the publisher of The Secret Teachings of All Ages, Reader's Edition. Thanks very much to Mitch for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions.

Can you describe your initial reactions to reading The Secret Teachings of All Ages and why you and others (myself included) find it such a compelling work?

I was astounded at the depth of learning in the book and at the author's willingness to take seriously subjects that were often dismissed as fantasy. When Hall wrote the book, for example, mainstream academia was closed off to questions of re-dating the great pyramids or of whether the Delphic oracle provided a mediumistic experience similar to that of Victorian spiritualism. Due to current archeological research, academics have now come around to seeing the Oracle at Delphi in the manner presented by Hall -- i.e., as a kind of ancient channeled reading -- and, while there remains overwhelming resistance to the pyramid question within academia, that subject has come to public attention through the interest of legitimate independent scholars. So, the Secret Teachings was not only ahead of its time, but took measure of all range of unusual subject matter that had not been given its proper due.

Would you please trace the path from your introduction to the book to publication of the reader's edition in 2003?

Like most readers I was dismayed that the book was so physically difficult to read, being oversized and featuring small typefaces and so forth. I thought: What if this book could be re-set in standard text and read a more straightforward manner? I found that such an approach brought out a readerly dimension to Hall's writing that was not otherwise apparent. So, I had the entire work scanned, re-typed, and fully redesigned. In so doing, I attempted to retain as many of the original illustrations as possible -- and certainly those that were key to the text. It was a really interesting experience turning the Secret Teachings back into a veritable manuscript and seeing it as a might have looked when it rolled off Hall's typewriter.

Several times in your article, you alluded to the fact that Hall completed this massive tome that is still the standard before his thirtieth birthday. I find it amazing that one so young, and not even a professional researcher or academic, was capable of producing a book so crucial that any library is deficient without it. Would you care to speculate: is it more likely Hall was what we call today a prodigy, that he was being directed and assisted by one or more teachers, or some type of spiritual inspiration and communication? Perhaps some combination?

It really is astonishing that he wrote the book by age twenty-seven. That is one of the true mysteries of his achievement. Especially since some of his earliest writings -- such as his letters from abroad -- reveal no particular virtuosity. Some people have speculated that he had a photographic memory or was a kind of savant, which I think may be valid. Regarding other possibilities, such as some kind of supernormal communication or some such, it it simply too speculative to say. But this is an area that I am in real question about.

Do you think Hall's private life (secluded, not social) is a result of his fascination with occult secret teachings? Do you believe there to be any connection to the spirituality and mysticism that Hall studied and the ascetic lifestyle which he seemingly lived?

That's an interesting question. In once sense, it is a matter of sobering caution that Hall's vast knowledge of different spiritual systems failed to feed his own personal life in certain obvious ways -- for example, he was taken advantage of by various figures toward the end of his life. He did, of course, maintain some friendships (Bela Lugosi, Burl Ives). But as far as his general existence, he was a fairly ascetic man -- probably as a result of his single-minded work style than anything else.

Did you have any contact with the Philosophical Research Society for your research?

Yes, I am friendly with the current director of PRS Obadiah Harris and have had the privilege of entering Hall's vault there, among other things.

What are some other authors and books on the occult that you enjoy?

Hidden Wisdom, New Edition: A Guide to the Western Inner Traditions

I very much admire the writing of Richard Smoley and Jay Kinney, the founders of Gnosis magazine. Their book "Hidden Wisdom" is as good a primer to esoteric subjects as one is likely to find. I also like a classic work called (unfortunately!) "The Black Arts" by Richard Cavendish -- a much finer book than its title might reflect.

The Black Arts: An Absorbing Account of Witchcraft, Demonology, Astrology, and Other Mystical Practi

Can you 'talk' a little about Hall's hope to bring his contemporaries' consciousness to spirituality? Do you believe that with the publication of the new edition that Hall's work is reaching a wider audience beyond the usual?

It is remarkable that the new edition is building a contemporary readership for Hall. He is probably one of the only occult writers of his era who is actually growing in popularity. One could argue that our times reflect his own: A wide gap between haves and have-nots; an entertainment-obsessed society; a great deal of emphasis on money-making at the expense of ethics. But I think the popularity of his book has to do mostly with the fact that the new edition permits the book to be discovered for the very first time among many readers -- and the quality of his work is of a kind all its own.

Please describe the reaction and feedback you've received about the reader's edition.

Overwhelmingly positive. I've not gotten a single negative remark that I can recall. People are delighted that book is not only readable, but also affordable. It creates a first-time experience for many people who owned but could never read the previously edition because of its physical unwieldiness.

Would you mind sharing a bit about your upcoming book?

Sure -- I actually just made an agreement this past Friday with the publisher Bantam. Here is blurb that is just now being sent to the publishing media:

"Tarcher/Penguin Editor-in-Chief Mitch Horowitz' first book, OCCULT AMERICA: The Secret History of How Mysticism Conquered America, was preempted by Bantam. A book populated by a wonderful cast of spiritual gadflies, adventurers, and impresarios, OCCULT AMERICA tells the story of how a young America hosted, transformed and was ultimately transformed by the mystical philosophies and practices of the Old World."

The book deals with personalities such as Manly P. Hall, Paul Foster Case, Edgar Cayce, and many, many others who remade the occult in America in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and, in so doing, helped lay the groundwork for the revolutions in alternative spirituality that marked our own generation.

Thanks again to Mitch Horowitz for all his efforts with the Reader's Edition of The Secret Teachings of All Ages and appearing here. Mitch's article entitled, "The Mysterious Career of Manly P. Hall," in episode 6 of Sub Rosa Magazine was the main reference and inspiration for this article and interview.

Although available online here -- http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/sta/, the Reader's Edition is so well done that your home library deserves a copy.

Also, don't forget the Manly P. Hall Memorial and Archive.

Copyright 2007 by Occult of Personality. Licensed under Creative Commons.

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On the Founding of America

nobody@vox.com(Occult of Personality) — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 02:48:17 +0100

The Secret Teachings of All Ages

In a continuation of a theme from the other day regarding the influences on the "Founding Fathers" (see On the American Capital), we turn again to the wise words of Manly P. Hall, 33rd degree. His incredibly detailed research also reveals the same point - hermeticism was a major influence, to the exclusion of most any other.

From his masterpiece, The Secret Teachings of All Ages:

The Fraternity of R.C. is an august and sovereign body, arbitrarily manipulating the symbols of alchemy, Qabbalism, astrology, and magic to the attainment of its own peculiar purposes, but entirely independent of the cults whose terminology it employs.

Cruce Rosea

[One of the major objectives of the Fraternity is:] The abolition all monarchical forms of government and the substitution therefor of the rulership of the philosophic elect. The present democracies are the direct outgrowth of Rosicrucian efforts to liberate the masses from the domination of despotism. In the early part of the eighteenth century the Rosicrucians turned their attention to the new American Colonies, then forming the nucleus of a great nation in the New World. The American War of Independence represents their first great political experiment and resulted in the establishment of a national government founded upon the fundamental principles of divine and natural law. As an imperishable reminder of their sub rosa activities, the Rosicrucians left the Great Seal of the United States. The Rosicrucians were also the instigators of the French Revolution, but in this instance were not wholly successful, owing to the fact that the fanaticism of the revolutionists could not be controlled and the Reign of Terror ensued.

This is reminiscent of the discussions of the Promethean faith - "Fire In the Minds of Men" - with both Terry Melanson and the Collins brothers.

With Rosicrucianism, it is certainly conceivable that those ignorant of the secret society might confuse their signature symbols for those of Christianity, which they most certainly are not. How much a factor is this confusion in the mistaken notion that "religious" beliefs influenced the founders?

You've heard of the Rose Garden?

Red Rose

White House

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