Showing results by narrator "Michael Strader" in All Categories

Manly P. Hall, masonic and esoteric scholar, traces the path followed by initiates to the ancient craft. Hall also recounts the ethical training required of a Freemason, and he profiles the character traits a Mason must "build" within himself. More than a mere social organization a few centuries old, Freemasonry can be regarded as a perpetuation of the philosophical mysteries and initiations of the ancients. This book reveals the unique and distinctive elements that have inspired generations of Masons.

This is a collection of 14 essays on a variety of occult-themed topics, covering the full spectrum of classic occultism and related subjects, but with a focus on the western mystery tradition within esotericism. The topics include Hermeticism, Ceremonial Magic, the Kabbalah, Ancient Wisdom and Philosophy, Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry and Mysticism, by some of the most notable and prominent names in the history of those subjects.

Renowned French occultist Eliphas Levi left behind a vast legacy of fundamental esoteric writings that have influenced a century and a half of writers that followed in his footsteps. Here he examines the true science of the Holy Kabbalah, with attention paid to the Tetragrammaton, the Shemhamphorash and other symbolic parts of the overall tradition.

Renowned occult writer, Manly P. Hall, not only explores the history and images of the tarot cards, but he delves into the secret occult symbolism while examining the divinatory meaning behind each of the 22 major arcana. Manly P. Hall quotes Eliphas Levin, stating: with no other book than the Tarot, if he knew how to use it, could in a few years acquire universal knowledge, and would be able to speak on all subjects with unequalled learning and inexhaustible eloquence.

Arthur Edward Waite was a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and cocreator of probably the most famous and commonly used tarot deck. He was also a prolific writer and a prominent Freemason. In this short discourse he examined the symbolism of our often-ignored second degree.

Dating to 1614 and 1615, these are two of the three primary documents which originally announced and helped define who the secret society of Rosicrucians were. These works, written in veiled and alchemical language, outline the true philosophy of RC along with a code of conduct that members are expected to live by. These two pieces have been the subject of serious occult study for centuries since their first appearance.

This is a collection of 18 essays on a variety of occult-themed topics, covering the full spectrum of classic esoteric and related subjects, which include hermeticism, alchemy, magic, the Kabbalah, ancient wisdom and philosophy, the Tarot, Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry, Theosophy and spiritualism, by some of the most notable and prominent names in the history of those subjects.

This is a collection of 14 essays on a variety of occult-themed topics, covering the full spectrum of classic esoterica and related subjects, which include hermeticism, alchemy, magic, the Kabbalah, ancient wisdom and philosophy, the Tarot, Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry, Theosophy, and spiritualism, by some of the most notable and prominent names in the history of those subjects.

The First Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus Christ, also commonly referred to as The Infancy Gospel of Thomas (not to be confused with the apocryphal book simply called the Gospel of Thomas), dates to AD 185 and tells stories of the early events in the life of Christ, including miracles; although, also included are stories depicting the childhood Jesus behaving less sacredly than one might expect, which may be exactly the reason why the infancy gospels were never considered canon by the Church.

Esoteric scholar Manly P. Hall covers a lot of areas relating to the ancient mysteries, including common roots in religious and ritual practices, the practices of the Druids and how they relate to Masonry, the rites of Mithras, Simon Magus and the Gnostics, Abraxas, the Egyptian Serapis, the Odinic mysteries and how they compare, the rites of Eleusis, the Orphic mysteries, Bacchus, Dionysos, and much more.

Long ago removed from the Bible, these visions of Enoch are apocalyptic dreams of the end of the world, brought on by the sins of man. The dreams of Enoch contain characteristics that lend themselves to a larger symbolic reading and seem to share the same ancient, cosmographical interpretation of the world, which is outlined in the Book of Genesis. Complete with a brand new introduction and analysis.

Famed writer Manly P. Hall explores the symbolism of the most famous Master of the Builders. He continues to delve into the Hiramic legend and how it connects with other cultures and similar myths. He examines the name Hiram as compared to the name CHiram and looks at the esoteric meaning behind the Hebrew letters, which compose the name. He examines the role of the three ruffians and shows examples of the three men as symbols in other myths.

John Sebastian Marlow Ward was a British author who published widely on the subject of Freemasonry. In this handbook, he takes the mason, step-by-step, through the third degree ritual, attempting to highlight lessons, as well as explain the underlying symbolism which was encountered. He covers questions, passwords, the opening, the symbolic journey, secrets learned, the tracing board and many more facets of the masonic raising ritual.

The initial origins of Enochian magick date to 1581, with 1584 being perhaps a more technical birthdate of the alphabet of the Enochian angels, with whom John Dee and Edward Kelley were the first to communicate with. The two men maintained detailed records of that angelic correspondence, which eventually resulted in a spoken language. Today, centuries later, Western civilization is experiencing a renaissance of interest in Enochian studies.

This is a collection of 13 essays on a variety of occult-themed topics, covering the full spectrum of classic esoteric and related subjects, which include Hermeticism, alchemy, magic, the Kabbalah, ancient wisdom and philosophy, the Tarot, Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry, Theosophy, and spiritualism, by some of the most notable and prominent names in the history of those subjects. This collection was compiled specifically with the student in mind.

This is a collection of 21 essays on a variety of occult-themed topics, covering the full spectrum of classic esoteric and related subjects, which include Hermeticism, alchemy, magic, the Kabbalah, ancient wisdom and philosophy, the Tarot, Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry, Theosophy, and spiritualism, by some of the most notable and prominent names in the history of those subjects.

Member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and co-creator of probably the most famous and most commonly used tarot deck, Arthur Edward Waite was also a prolific writer and prominent Freemason. Here he looks into the trio of Blue Lodge degrees and the initiatory arc of birth, life, and death associated with those degrees. He looks at the history of these types of initiations in the ancient world, as well as how they relate to the candidate, and asks the listener to consider if Freemasonry even has a place in this type of initiation cycle.

Waite covers a lot of esoteric territory in this work, from mysticism, to alchemy to the Kabbalah, with a spattering of Latin throughout, for those wishing to brush up. The overall theme here being the search for personal adeptship, to which Waite proclaims, "Lift up your eyes." This is the advice that Brother Waite gives the zealous aspirant who may be seeking the secret tradition or the hidden college of the Rosicrucians.

This is a collection of 14 works of biblical apocrypha for students of lost Christian writings. The Apocrypha are a loosely knit series of books, written by early vanguards of Christianity (covering the eras of both the old and new testaments), which comprise somewhere between about a dozen to several hundred titles, depending on whom you ask and how that person defines the word Apocrypha. A small selection of these can still be found included in the Catholic bible, while a majority of the books in question, were abandoned by church officials in the early centuries of Christianity.

That, which is usually presented as the first 36 chapters of The Book of Enoch was originally known as the Book of the Watchers and dates to around 200 BC. This translation of the Book of the Watchers comes to us from notable scholar of apocryphal literature, R. H. Charles, who published it in 1917. The narrative of the Book of the Watchers is told from the point of view of Enoch and not surprisingly focuses on a class of angels known as the Watchers.