12 posts tagged “symbology”
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The study of astrology is inextricably linked to ancient civilizations and the origins of religion (astrotheology). Most are familiar with the 12 signs of the zodiac, the times of the solar year that they represent, and maybe even their characteristics. Of course, just like all occult studies, there is an exoteric and esoteric understanding of these concepts.
While the ignorant multitudes worshiped the house of the sun's reflection, which in the case described would be the Bull, the wise revered the house of the sun's actual dwelling, which would be the Scorpion, or the Serpent, the symbol of the concealed spiritual mystery. [2]
So the first point to be noted is the esoteric, heliocentric nature of the astrology practiced by the wise. Next, note the significance of the sign of Scorpio - that of wisdom and "the concealed spiritual mystery." The esoteric sign is not the backbiting Scorpion, but the Serpent. Even more than that is the Eagle, Scorpio's ultimate sign. The sign of occult initiation, Scorpio - from the venomous of the earth to the king of the sky. [3]
It is said by the ancients that there were originally only 10 zodiac signs, not 12 - Libra was added and Virgo and Scorpio were split into 2 separate signs. According to various sources, including Madame Blavatsky, the sign of Libra was inserted and divided the formerly unified sign of Virgo-Scorpio. The Virgin and the Serpent. Genesis, the Garden of Eden, and the "fall" of man.
This division was called Ezekiel's wheel and was completed in the following way: First came the ascending signs (euphermerized into patriarchs), Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, and the group concluded with Virgo-Scorpio. Then came the turning-point, Libra. After which, the first half of the sign of Virgo-Scorpio, was duplicated and transferred to lead the lower, or descending group of Microcosm which ran down to Pisces, or Noah (deluge). To make it clearer, the sign Virgo-Scorpio, became simply Virgo, and the duplication, Scorpio, was placed between Libra, the seventh sign (which is Enoch, or the angel Metatron, or Mediator between spirit and matter, or God and man). It now became Scorpio (or Cain), which sign or patriarch led mankind to destruction, according to exoteric theology; but, according to the true doctrine of the wisdom-religion, it indicated the degradation of the whole universe in its course of evolution downward from the subjective to the objective. [4]
So the original 10 became 12. Virgo and Scorpio, the Virgin and the Serpent, linked in so many ways. So the second esoteric point is the origin of Virgo and Scorpio and the all the implications inherent in it.
Next, the importance of the sign of Leo. When the sun arrives at the summer solstice (just before St. John's Day), Leo appears to lead the way,
It is clear how revered the sign of Leo is to the wisdom-religion. Of course, when these points are all considered as a whole, the implications for the coming New Age are rather revealing. This doctrine indicates that we are currently in the Age of Virgo, not Pisces, and instead of the Age of Aquarius that we have been led to expect - we will enter, esoterically, the Age of Leo as the sun will be dwelling in the house of the Lion. This new age will be signified by the height of solar power - power for those that worship the sun, and all that represents.... and to aid by his powerful paw in lifting up the sun up to the summit of the zodiacal arch. This visible connection between the constellation Leo and the return of the sun to his place of power and glory, at the summit of the Royal Arch of heaven, was the principal reason why that constellation was held in such high esteem and reverence by the ancients. ... "The lion was adored in the East and West by the Egyptians and the Mexicans. The chief Druid of Britain was styled a lion." [5]
Then, indeed, will the secret religions of the world include once more the raising to initiation by the Grip of the Lion's Paw. [6]
Esoteric astrology - consider it when you read about the coming New Age and 2012.
1. Hall, Manly P. The Secret Teachings of All Ages, Readers' ed. (New York: Tarcher/Penguin, 2003). p. 156.
2. ibid.
3. ibid.
4. Blavatsky, H.P. Isis Unveiled. (Theosophy Trust, 2006). p. 419.
5. Hall, Manly P. The Secret Teachings of All Ages, Readers' ed. (New York: Tarcher/Penguin, 2003). p. 157.
6. ibid.
The Emperor sits on his stone throne representing the Empire which he loves, guides, and for which he sacrifices.
To rule, one must be dominant, courageous, and ready to sieze opportunity.
... 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.
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.
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:
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.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.”
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:
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.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)
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?
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.
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.
Inspired by Comets Over Albion by Ben Fairhall, 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl by Daniel Pinchbeck, and cyberspaceorbit.com by Kent Steadman.
Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, is more accurately, "the serpent veiled in plumes of the paradise-bird" who was adored by the Children of the Sun and identified as a "solar god" and / or "god of the winds" by Manly Hall. [1]
Quetzalcoatl:
... came out of the sea, bringing with him a mysterious cross. On his garments were embellished clouds and red crosses. In his honour, great serpents carved from stone were placed in different parts of Mexico.
The cross of Quetzalcoatl became a sacred symbol among the Mayas, and according to available records the Maya Indian angels had crosses of various pigments painted on their foreheads. Similar crosses were placed over the eyes of those initiated into their Mysteries. When Cortez arrived in Mexico, he brought with him the cross. Recognizing this, the natives believed that he was Quetzalcoatl returned, for the latter had promised to come back in the infinite future and redeem his people. [2]
... The fourth book of the Popol Vuh concludes with an account of the erection of a majestic temple, all white, where was preserved a secret black divining stone, cubical in shape. Quetzalcoatl partakes of many of the attributes of King Solomon: the account of the temple building in the Popol Vuh is a reminder of the story of Solomon's Temple, and undoubtedly has a similar significance. Brassuer de Bourbourg was first attracted to the study of religious parallelisms in the Popol Vuh by the fact that the temple, together with the black stone which it contained, was named the Caabaha, a name astonishingly similar to that of the Temple, or Caaba, which contains the sacred black stone of Islam. [3]
If we look at the similarities of Quetzalcoatl and other stories, the results are remarkable. Quetzalcoatl was known as the solar god who was crucified and would return in the future to redeem his people, as well as the builder of a temple building reminiscent of the Temple of Solomon containing a sacred black stone named Caabaha. How do historians account for these similarities to the Abrahamic religious texts, yet the vast discrepancies in time and distance from the supposed origin of these stories?
The return of Cortez noted above, and hinted at in the recent movie "Apocalypto," is portrayed as occurring during a time of human sacrifice. Again, Manly Hall:
The meager available native records contain abundant evidence that the later civilizations of Central and South America were hopelessly dominated by the black arts of their priestcrafts. In the convexities of their magnetized mirrors the Indian sorcerers captured the intelligences of elemental beings and, gazing into the depths of these abominable devices, eventually made the scepter subservient to the wand. Robed in garments of sable hue, the neophytes in their search for truth were led by their sinister guides through the confused passageways of necromancy. By the left-hand path they descended into the somber depths of the infernal world, where they learned to endow stones with the power of speech and to subtly ensnare the minds of men with their chants and fetishes. As typical of the perversion which prevailed, none could acheive to the greater Mysteries until a human being had suffered immolation at his hand and the bleeding heart of the victim had been elevated before the luring face of the stone idol fabricated by a priestcraft the members of which realized more fully than they dared to admit the true nature of the man-made demon. The sanguinary and indescribable rites practiced by many of the Central American Indians may represent remnants of the later Atlantean perversion of the ancient sun Mysteries. According to the secret tradition, it was during the later Atlantean epoch that black magic and sorcery dominated the esoteric schools, resulting in the bloody sacrificial rites and gruesome idolatry which ultimately overthrew the Atlantean empire and even penetrated the Aryan religious world. [4]
So these similarities are between not only the allegorical stories surrounding Quetzalcoatl, but also the historical record of a turn to the dark side after the golden age and a false savior. After a time of high spirituality and technology, the Mayan people went from being victimized by their preistarchy, to being victimized by the Spanish conquistador - out of the frying pan and into the fire. The desire for some kind of saviour seems to be a characteristic that some are only too willing to exploit. How much do these similarities feel familiar to us now? And what of the return of Quetzalcoatl? Could it be now?
http://www.spaceweather.com/comets/gallery_mcnaught_page12.htm
McNaught comet images: Jamie Newman,
1. Hall, Manly P. The Secret Teachings of All Ages (New York: Tarcher/Penguin, 2003), p. 137, 637.
2. ibid, p. 603.
3. ibid, p. 645.
4. ibid, p. 638.
Copyright 2007 by Occult of Personality.
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.
[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?
Regardless of opinions, the philosophical basis for the foundation of the United States was not necessarily what would be termed "religious." The age of enlightenment and reason (read occultism) was one of the main influences on those engaged in that grand endeavour.
One indication of this fact is the research of David Ovason. In his book The Secret Architecture of Our Nation's Capital, he concludes:
Washington, D.C., which I had thought had only two or three zodiacs in its center, soon revealed itself as teeming with zodiac and zodiacal images -- many of them in official buildings where one would never have expected to find such symbols of the spiritual world. Now I know that there are 23 important zodiacs in the city, and at least 1,000 zodiacal and planetary symbols. These figures may beggar belief, but the story behind them is even more incredible. It was only after some considerable time that I began to see the thing which drew most of these zodiacs together -- the mystery of the zodiacal sign Virgo. ... the Christian Virgin Mother in a later guise, a representative of Isis and Minerva.
The first part of this interview with authors Phillip and Paul Collins can be found here -- http://rochester92.vox.com/library/post/an-uprising-against-promethean-hubris-pt-1.html
In your opinion, is the continuation, even perpetuation of classical symbolic motifs due to a simple lack of originality or inability to create new motifs, or is it perhaps something more complex? Is it at all possible that our psyches have been somehow preprogrammed to respond to these motifs due to genetics, or might it be a projection of cosmic consciousness / mind of God that we all access knowingly or not, or maybe a combination?
In some instances, the selection of particular logos and their iconic similarities to older motifs may actually be attributable to a lack of originality. Certainly, we are living in a time where there is nothing new under the sun. Just look at Hollywood. The entertainment industry is so creatively bankrupt that it has resorted to recycling the same films over and over again.
That being said, there is definitely some deliberate intent underpinning the selection of familiar motifs. As any semiotician will tell you, there is always a reason for a particular sign to be chosen. Signs communicate messages. So, the choice of a sign hinges on what message the selector wishes to convey to the percipient. Some signs have been invoked so much over the years that they have become virtually archetypal. So, invoking those same signs again or developing a new sign that iconically resembles an older one will typically relay the same denotative and connotative meanings.
For instance, in his second inaugural speech, George W. used the phrase, "fire in the minds of men." This is the very same phrase that Fyodor Dostoevsky used in The Possessed to describe the Promethean faith of the early socialist revolutionaries. George W. Bush's invocation of the phrase is what semioticians call an "index." It references something else. In this case, Bush was referencing the Promethean faith. Bush's invocation of the phrase also qualifies as an intertextual reference. It associates the text of neoconservativism with the text of Promethean radicalism of earlier sociopolitical Utopian movements.
Chances are that Bush was not aware of the semiotic significance of this phrase, but his speech writers definitely were. George W. was surrounded by neoconservative ideologues at the time. The neoconservatives owe their heritage to the Promethean faith. Claes G. Ryn has characterized the neoconservatives as "neo-Jacobins." The Jacobinism of revolutionary France could be considered a precursor to all modern socialist revolutionary movements. In the case of the neoconservatives, they are merely Trotskyites who have blended their leftist philosophy with Leo Straussian fascist additives and technocratic concepts. Irving Kristol, who is considered the godfather of neoconservativism, was a young Trotskyist. The neoconservative concept of a "global democratic revolution" is merely the latest incarnation of Trotsky's Fourth International for permanent revolution.
So, for those who were interpolated, Bush's invocation of Dostoevsky's famous phrase semiotically gesticulated towards these themes. Some segments of the Establishment, which is composed largely of adherents to old Enlightenment rationalism, probably understood the real message. No doubt, some of the Eastern elite did as well. Putin, who exhibits some Stalinist proclivities, probably recognized the Trotskyist pedigree of the neoconservatives and understood its implications for his hegemony. The Trotskyists have been engaged in an ideological feud with their Stalinist counterparts for a long time. The "liberalization" of the old Soviet Union, which ex-KGB officer Anatoliy Golitsyn called a hoax, allowed the tradtional communist hardliners to revitalize their waning hegemony. Now, they are becoming overtly defiant toward the Trotskyist neoconservative regime in the West. Putin is already aligning himself with communist China against the West. A Sino-Russian superstate would prove to be a formidable opponent for the neoconservatives' "global democratic revolution." We cover such a possible conflict in the new edition of The Ascendancy of the Scientific Dictatorship. At any rate, what is important to understand is the semiotic significance of the terminology invoked by George W.
We could go on and on about semiotics. The iconic similarities between the TIA's offical logo and the insignia of the Insinuating Brethren... Nancy Pelosi's recent reference to a "new order of the centuries"... the esoteric iconography that adorns public monuments... we could go on and on. What is important to take away from these examples is a continuity of thought. Ultimately, this is a conspiracy of ideas. Demonstrating organizational continuity is problematic in conspiracy research. However, demonstrating ideational continuity is a bit easier. In some instances, an ideational continuum is axiomatic and any educated individual won't need a decoder ring to identify it. Unfortunately, many people are not educated. Bread and circuses comprise their daily "education." In addition, many people have already unconsciously adopted virulent strains of thought. Authoritarian hierarchilization facilitates the transmission of memes from the higher echelons of power to the lower layers of socioeconomic strata. Thus, society tangibly enacts the occult dictum, "As above, so below."
Would you consider that it may have to be enough for people to be aware so that they can make decisions with accurate information, but any type of "movement" beyond education may actually be counter-productive?
There is a time and a place for secrecy, to be sure. If the Nazis had known of the Allied plans for June 6, 1944, history would have gone down a very disastrous path. People with evil intentions are not entitled to the truth because they only intend on abusing the truth. If people hiding Jews had been completely honest with Nazi authorities when they came looking, the Nazis would have used that truth to kill those hidden, which is an obvious abuse of the truth.
The problem we have today is that most of the secrecy we see has nothing to do with national security or the well-being of the people. Instead, most of the secrecy we have today has to do with the practice of what Professor Peter Dale Scott called deep politics. Deep politics are the criminal activities that make up the everyday business of the power elite and their deep political system. Adam Weishsupt's Illuminist movement was responsible for systematizing the means and methods that constitute deep politics, a fact that should concern people whether or not they believe the Illuminati is still in existence. Bill Moyers confirmed that deep politics is practiced by some modern elites when he stated that what many people consider to be conspiracy, David Rockefeller considers just another day at work.
Exposing people to the reality of deep politics would, in our view, unify people, not divide them. Why would exposure bring unification and not fragmentation? Because deep politics involves activities that the majority of people believe to be wrong. Theft, usury, assassination, murder, and exploitation are acts that almost all people object to. The only ones who really have no objection to such activities are Luciferians and Satanists who do not believe in objective evil.
At some point in time, something along the lines of the American Revolution may become necessary to end the level of elite criminality we see today. That revolution can take many different forms. If we do not want it to take a violent form, we must be successful in our education campaigns. Education campaigns are important because they strip the elite and their deep political system of plausible deniability. Without plausible denial, people in power are forced into a corner where their only option is to do the right thing. When covert politics are no longer an option due to exposure, accountability to the governed re-enters the picture.
Hosea 4:6 says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..."
And, the old Baconian mantra opines, "Knowledge itself is power."
Evidently, knowledge is very important. However, there is another element that is central to the maintenance of freedom. In a letter to James Warren, Samuel Adams wrote, "If virtue and knowledge are diffused among the people, they will never be enslaved. This will be their great security."
So, knowledge is crucial. Yet, of equal importance is the virtue of those who hold the knowledge. Not only must we cultivate our minds, but we must enrich our spirits as well. The Lord knows the hearts of men and, if He sees goodness in people, He shall satisfy them with liberty and long life. We have to be cleaner and better than those who wish to enslave us. We must be people of higher standards and values. Otherwise, all the knowledge in the world will not save us.
Just look at the power elite... they are equipped with vast repositories of knowledge. However, you only employ that knowledge in campaigns of oppression, genocide, and destruction. As you know, it takes much more effort to create than destroy. Yet, a majority of the elite's projects involve destruction. If these are the only ends to which their knowledge can be applied, then their minds will be incapable of saving them. The "fire in the minds of men" is actually a funeral pyre upon which the corpse of tyranny shall burn.
Hopefully, we've helped to shine more light on the macrocosm across which the battle between good and evil is fought. At same time, we hope to exalt Jesus Christ. Certainly, not everyone will accept Him. But, we have rewards waiting for us where moth and rust cannot destroy.
At any rate, those who want to read a comprehensive listing of our articles can do so at www.conspiracyarchive.com/Commentary/Collins.php. There is archived audio there as well. So, there is plenty for readers to check out! And, any readers who would be interested in my (Phillip's) fictional writing may want to check out www.expansivethoughts.com. The website is devoted to a book that I (Phillip) collaborated on with two other authors. There are even some stories and poems devoted to the topic of conspiracy. Plus, the two other co-authors are very impressive writers. So, creative writing enthusiasts might find Expansive Thoughts entertaining.
And, for those who want to learn more about the origins of the contemporary conspiratorial tradition will definitely want to check out Terry Melanson's forthcoming book. It will probably be released through Trine Day Publishing. This verital tome is filled with exact descriptions of the occult ceremonies, and the symbolism used within the Illuminati lodges. The book will be over 700-pages long! It will also include a facsimile of an Illuminati certificate from one of their Munich lodges, circa 1780. It is signed by the 4 officers (all Illuminati) and it bears two stamps: one of the owl of Minerva in the bottom left corner, and another in left upper corner, of a pyramid below a star. Terry has done outstanding work! His book will be the definitive authority on Illuminism and the conspiratorial tradition! In a field where good research is so hard to find, Terry's book will be a "must own" item!
Thank you so much for the opportunity to talk! We appreciate it and look forward to future interviews! Keep up the great work!
Archeon, aka Timothy Lantz, is an incredible artist who recently created The Archeon Tarot. After checking out this amazing new interpretation of the ancient Tarot cards as well as his Stygian Darkness web site, I had to contact him to find out more. Below is the result. I hope you enjoy it, and Archeon's art as much as I do.
How long have you been interested in the occult? Did your interest in art come first?
I guess you could say that my interest started in junior high. I remember checking out every book on witches, vampires, magic and what have you that could be found in the school library. I recall werewolves being a particular favorite at the time. This also coincided with my introduction to Dungeons & Dragons. (Which I almost hate to mention for fear of giving target groups more ammo, lol)
It should be mentioned though, that my interest is only on an allegorical level. Angels, demons, and all things that go bump in the night are merely just creative ways to examine facets of the human condition. It’s the symbolism that excites my imagination and I think there’s something very powerful about the way the wiring in our brains connects with these archetypes.
As for my interest in art, I suppose it comes from the same place within — the powerful allure of symbols and the desire to create my own metaphors for the world around me.
I think this is something you can definitely trace back to my love of comic books. I was a voracious reader as a child and one of the things I couldn’t get enough of was comics. The seamless blend of art and words, combined with all of the mythology, was a powerful influence on me. In particular, I had a subscription to Marvel Comic’s The Mighty Thor when I was in third grade. So, throw the Norse religion (skewed as it was through the Marvel interpretation) into the mix of everything above and I think it becomes clear how I was started down this path from an early age. Valkyries, winged horses, rainbow bridges… even now, that still gets me excited just thinking about it.
The Archeon Tarot was much more of an artistic journey for me. I really learned so much about how and why I create the images I do. I think up until I began working on the cards, I was always trying to be more like this or that, never really feeling comfortable with my own vision.
At certain point though, it all just kind of clicked. I wasn’t going to be the next Jim Lee, and you know what? Maybe, that’s ok too. I just sort of let go and let the work stream and figured I’d see what happens. It was all very liberating.
The fact that so many people have really connected with the imagery has just been overwhelming.
I think my biggest insight into the tarot itself was in the perception of masculinity and femininity of the suits. Those familiar with the Archeon Tarot often wonder why I switched the interpretations of Pentacles and Wands from their more traditional gender associations.
The more I looked at what each suit represents, I just didn’t feel that the old standard applied in this day and age. Our society has changed a great deal from when these original interpretations were set down and I decided that the Archeon needed to reflect the changes as I see them, rather than just repeat what has gone before simply out of tradition.
Without going into a full essay on the subject, here’s a brief explanation of how I see the changes.
Pentacles, being associated so closely with money, just didn’t seem very feminine to me. The old stereotype of the woman who spends her man’s money just seems ridiculous in today’s society. These days, money is a powerful corrupter, controlled by corporations, governments, evil CEOs and the like. It’s brutal, savage and forceful the way it changes the world, in essence… masculine.
With Wands, let’s just say it… Wands are all about sex. It can be argued, because of their shape, they must be masculine, but when you really look at it closer, Wands are not forceful, brutish or aggressive. They are about comfort, magic, fertility, and passion and when you wrap your head around all of these ideas, you can see that it’s clearly a much more feminine perspective.
Did you do any research on
the Tarot before or during the project? If so, would you mind sharing
your sources?
I relied heavily on the internet for the bulk of my research. The essential thing for me was keyword interpretations. I compiled a list of keywords for each card in the Rider Waite and Toth decks using input from many different sources. Once I had this list, I made note of where the various sources had similar interpretations and where they differed significantly. From this, I made a master list of keywords for the archeon, which I then examined on a card by card basis to determine if they fit my vision for the card. Where we were in agreement, I let the traditional view stand, but where I felt strongly that a card needed to go in a different direction, I deviated from the classic meaning.
You list Raymond Chandler as a literary influence (I'm a fan of "The
Big Sleep"), what is it about his books that you enjoy and has
affected your work?
I think that Chandler’s work has a kind of no nonsense approach that I greatly admire. He has a way of telling you all you need to know without over exposition. For example, a lot of authors when describing a restaurant might spend page after page telling you every minute detail of the décor, the patrons, the size and color of the menus, etc. Chandler would tell you, “it’s the kind of place where you could buy a ten dollar steak.”
Can you describe how (and what, of course) music affects your creative process?
I love music… and I’m a total metal head. I’m almost always listening to something when I’m working… but the danger of that is that I sometimes just get caught up in the songs and end up sitting there listening and not actually working.
I think heavy metal evokes all of the same kind of allegorical responses that the best symbolist painters used to convey their ideas. Lyricists like Ronnie James Dio and Blackie Lawless just fill my head with such amazing visions… it can’t help but spill out into the work I’m doing.
W.A.S.P. is my favorite and if you know what you’re looking for you’ll see their CD, The Crimson Idol, all over the Archeon Tarot.
In a previous interview, you
mentioned that your moniker, Archeon, stems from 'archon'. I assume
you're familiar with the Gnostic interpretation of the word
(http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9009299/Archon)?
What is your impression of this type of dualistic belief, and did it
have anything to do with the choice?
This is a difficult question for me to answer because I don’t want to get on a soapbox. I’m really a secular humanist, and I can say that it didn’t have much of an influence on my decision. I came by the word through its use in ancient Greece, which is more of a magistrate or leader.
In many, if not most, of your work, there are many untold stories lurking. Is that also how you approach a piece when beginning?What I wanted was to create a new word, my word, a word that would, in essence, be a symbol of all the things that fascinate me and perhaps, define how I strived to live my life. I wanted “Archeon” to be a word that meant teacher, leader, artist, lover… all the things we should aspire to be, and could be if we tried.
(Thank you for noticing! lol) One of the foundations of my art that I’ve sort of clung to over the past few years, is that I am creating illustrations for stories that have yet to be written. I like the viewer to bring his or her own imagination and creativity into play when examining one of my works. However, I think that quality is more of a sign that I’ve finished with a particular piece. As the story begins to realize itself, that’s when I know I’m finished. As for what the story may be, well, that’s for you to decide on your own.
Typically I begin with a theme or loose concept, and start building images into a collage. From there I blend color and texture and begin shaping… it’s a very improvisational process, adding subtracting, shaping and often times it takes a startling different direction from what I had originally conceived.
Have you ever considered doing a graphic novel or non-fiction book? If someone approached you to do it, and you had your choice of whatever you wanted, what type of book would you create?
I think I’m too much of a daydreamer to ever really do a non-fiction book. I’m not sure it would hold my interest very well. Still, if the right concept came along and I felt I could do it justice then sure.
I would love to do a graphic novel. Admittedly, the idea kind of intimidates me, which is, of course, exactly the best reason to do it. I expect before too long I’ll seriously start experimenting in that direction.
As for what type of book I’d create… you’ll just have to wait and see. :-)
Alchemically Braindamaged is a blog and podcast created by Zacharius, "a Buddhist monk, an aspiring ninja, a magican, occult scholar, medical massage therapist, sometime writer, and oft times podcaster." His work is a very real, personal, and tangible practice. The podcast serves as a direct, albeit one-way, communication with Zac as the magi, shaman, occultist, or sometimes simply a voice in your ear. It is quite interesting to have a window into his trasmutational process and inner thoughts on a continued regular basis. Not only does it serve as a record of this process, but can be used in a guide-like manner. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?
In an age of widespread disconnection, Zac, with Alchemically Braindamaged, uses the internet to connect to his listeners. If you have curiosity about the occult, alchemy, transmutation, transcendence, shamanism, yogic practices, insight meditation, etc. - this is where the rubber meets the road, so to speak. Research only takes one so far. Practice, and understanding what that involves, is truly where these concepts make it... or break it.
Zac was kind enough to address some rather wide-ranging questions that arose after listening to him for some time. His answers are presented here in a familiar format, so as not to put any interpretation (read: spin) on his words. I hope you appreciate his work, ideas, and generosity in letting us all into his world, in an age when so many are prone to only to concealment and misdirection.
What is your response to those who claim that apotheosis and all related endeavours are a Luciferian practice, whether the seeker is fully aware of this doctrine, or totally unwitting?
It depends what is meant when the term 'Luciferianism' is used. These days it tends to be used by the likes of Alex Jones and hysterical Christians to condemn the New World Order and whatnot, which seems a bit of a sloppy blanket heading to me.
When I use it, and the way I like to see it used, is closer to the way Rudolph Steiner would talk about it. A 'Luciferian' in this sense is one who is concerned with an ascent into a 'false heaven' of sorts. This false heaven is a product of mastery of various kinds of energy rather than true spiritual realisation.
The idea that there is an escape into some other kind of created reality full of accentuated delights is considered fairly degenerate by most legitimate spiritual traditions. The goal is to realise the spirit in this world, this moment, in your current circumstances, not to flee into your head, or virtual reality or the psychic realm of the ascended masters or whatever.
From that perspective the idea of apotheosis can be a distraction or a wrong turn surely, but only if you treat it as a means to remake the world into your image, or flee into a false heaven of your own making, rather than understand it as an actualisation of one's capacities for love, and service to others. I think those two goals are what everyone truly desires anyway and have every confidence they will discover that for themselves if given enough time.
My feeling is that in our current historical predicament, the main obstacle to a lot of people realising themselves spiritually is a sense of powerless victimhood. In that state there will be all kinds of unhealthy projections of how to aquire and use ones skills and power. My hope is to first help people take back a sense of agency in their own lives, and then to use their growing powers to open out into the world, rather than take the wrong turn into egotistic flights of fantasy.
What is the relationship between the ideas of western occultism and eastern philosophy (particularly Taoism and Buddhism)?
That's a vast question. At this point in history you could find just about anything that used to be characteristic to the east in the west and vice versa.
If anything , I think western occultism has a more developed sense of how to use symbolism than much of what exists in the east. Much of it purely concealment from Church prosecution, but it also forms a kind depth psychology system that the east seems to lack in large part. The symbolic languages of persons such as Jung or Freud, or Crowley, and the hypnotic technologies that spring out of western psychology are probably our best 'magick'. I've recent become more cognisant of the intellectual 'yoga' of the original Platonists, and how it feeds into the western occult tradition, and am looking farther into that as we speak.
In the east you have the yogic paths for meditation and inner alchemy developed to an exquisite level, with the Taoist traditions alongside embodying a kind of folk magic, shamanic tradition with a huge, unbroken legacy. You could look farther than yoga or Buddhism for clear meditation technology, but why bother?
In the ultimate sense east and west both spring out of archaic shamanism, and are concerned with the same things, the same human spiritual and survival imperitives. Someone like Ken Wilber elucidates this in many ways with great clarity.
What do you recommend as a way to retain the concept of universal unity while seeking enlightenment? Although not exclusive, for many it seems these things are hard to keep in balance. What are your thoughts?
I see them as one and the same. In the history of Buddhism there is a bit of sectarian strife that arose when certain factions said that questing exclusively for enlightenment was selfish, and ignored the needs of the people around you, which in part was true at the time, as the monks had become very insular and their practice rather state and neutered. This led to the great reform of the Mahayanna which most people think of as Buddhism.
But what gets overlooked is that the old methods did work, and the old ways as the Buddha taught them were not isolationist, but outward looking and involved in the community. What is usually needed in cases like that is not a reaction, but a revival. But alas, human psychology tends not to work that way.
The bottom line is, if you want to give, you need to have achieved something to share. Seeking enlightenment for 'yourself' is probably slightly misdirected and contradictory.
Do you recommend study of alchemy as part of a hierarchical group? It seems that many view this as the most likely route to what they seek. Would you care to comment?
If someone wanted my recommendations, then I'd say yeah, concentrate on your own inner cultivation first and foremost (keeping in mind that when I say 'alchemy' I mean any form of spiritual culitvation of one's inner self).
But I'm well aware that doesn't always get people excited, so I'm perfectly willing to let people play around with exotic rituals, siddha powers, sigil magick or whatever, until they get bored, frustrated or burnt out. The path isn't going anywhere. I think that point of exhaustion is coming in many parts of the online occult world. I'm happy to be able to help steer people in a useful direction.
Do you conceptualize the transmutations you are attempting to achieve before you begin the process (i.e. your recent Augoeides series)?
To an extent, sure, but you have to be willing to let go of it when the time comes. I have all kinds of fanciful notions, just like anyone else, and it's good to exercise the imagination. You need a clear picture to have a clear intent, at least at first.
But as I've said in other places; The world isn't made out of pictures and words... it's better to build a relationship with reality.
