Category: Esotericism
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Albert Pike’s Life, Education and Writings | Seminars of Manly P. Hall
Manly P. Hall establishes a background about Albert Pike in this seminar. I strongly argue, that despite shortcomings, as possessed by many of his time, the history of Pike’s life is very important here to our history and is a lesson for us. It establishes Pike and his legacy as an exemplar of cross-cultural wisdom…
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The Complex Legacy of Albert Pike
The life and writings of Albert Pike provide a lesson to those interested in the history and study of Esoteric Philosophy. This article briefly lays out some facts to consider in light of recent events to challenge both American racial conflicts and limitations and the Trump Administration’s appropriation of Albert Pike (The Unseen Danger of…
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Thomas Moore Johnson on Platonism in American Life, and the Limits of Politicians
Thomas Moore Johnson, a key player in early developments of American esotericism on political quarrels, speaking the truth and the necessity for the Platonic Philosophy from introduction to The Platonist: An Exponent of the Philosophic Truth, Vol. I, No. I, St. Louis, Feb. 1881, pp 1-3: One of the gentlemen to whom was sent a…
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Julian Strube on Public Fascination with “Nazi Occultism”
note i The public does not take any serious interest and competent research on early National Socialism and esotericism, though are yet often easily accepting of arguments in sensationalist articles or media about the topic. Both left-wing and right-wing Christian conspiracists in this case are ignorant of the consequences of their approach. Recent studies still…
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The Classical Paths to Wisdom (Yoga) pivotal to Theosophical Study
THE COMBINATION OF THESE TWO Classical Paths to Wisdom (Yoga) are pivotal to Theosophy and was the basis of the approach of the Theosophical Movement teaching to “The West.” In nineteenth-century developments between interactions of ‘Western Philosophy’ and ‘Eastern Philosophy,’ the Theosophists at the helm were discouraging the psycho-somatic and psychic breath forms of Yoga…
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Age of the Rule of Faith: Irenaeus dispute with Gnostic Narcissus
Act of Irenaeus (Bishop of Lyon) disputing with Narcissus Gnostics and Scientific-Thinking Pagans (Christians invent the Rule of Faith) Christian Exclusive Truth Claims and Emphasis on Right Belief vs Pagan and Eastern Religions (Valerie Tarico) “The Church of Rome was Gnostic – just as much as the Marcionites were – until the beginning and even…
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Aleister Crowley and Thelema critiques of Theosophists
A COMMON MISCHARACTERIZATION OF THEOSOPHISTS Many Theosophists early-on and still today belonged to and represented their particular tradition, or religion to its highest, being specialized and trained within them in their deeper meanings, and tied to some actual superior, or superiors (priests, gurus) of the group, or religion they belonged to. A Theosophist was hence…
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Why the Academic Study of Western Esotericism is not as Popular as Critical Theory and Women’s History?
Thoughts on Wouter J. Hanegraaff about “Rejected Knowledge” in Hermes Explains: Thirty Questions about Western Esotericism (page 149-151). Should this be a topic to tip toe over, or be careful? There are things that must be considered first. While so many people have become interested with deconstructing the hegemonic grand narratives of Western culture, racial…
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The Practice of Concealing Spiritual Wisdom
Thoughts on the persecution and exclusion of the marginalized ‘esotericist’ in Western Culture and the difference between Ancient and Modern Esotericism in an illuminating paper from Michael L. Frazer’s “Esotericism Ancient and Modern:Strauss Contra Straussianism on the Art of Political-Philosophical Writing,” Political Theory 34:1,February 2006, pp. 33-61. In Stanley Rosen’s Hermeneutics as Politics, a critique…
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Four Kinds of Esoteric Sciences in Hindu Philosophy | Helena Blavatsky
Anton Levey once defined Occultism as a “Do it yourself God-kit,” leaving out the significance of ethics, self-discipline and morality. This is not what Occultism is once we explore it. This is to understand Occultism more fully as a Tree with Branches (Practices, Sciences and Departments), not a singular thing, a benevolent nor nefarious thing.…
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Hilarion Smerdis, Serapis Bey and the Legend of the “Brotherhood of Light” and Luxor
THE FRATRES LUCIS AND THE EGYPTIAN BROTHERHOOD OF LUXOR INVOLVING HILARION SMERDIS AND SERAPIS BEY Another less known Theosophical master of a sub-brotherhood of the Greater Fraternity of Adepts, known as the Egyptian Brotherhood of Luxor is Hilarion Smerdis, whom K. Paul Johnson attempts to identify with a little known character by the name of…
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Getting Technical about “The First Cause”
The word God is generic for a collective, or plethora of beings, a multitude under a unity, and not a singular entity. The “First Cause” is a philosophical conception, that is in-fact, not the same as what is termed, e.g., the “ever Unknowable Eternal Cause.” There’s for example a historical distinction drawn between El’ and…
The American Minervan 