J. Abelson - Jewish Mysticism: An Introduction to the Kabbalah



Concise classic by a noted authority gives readers a bird's-eye view of salient features of Jewish mysticism and its impact on Jewish thought and worship. Based on researches of best Jewish scholars, and reinforced by author's wide acquaintance with talmudic and rabbinical literature, the book covers Essenism, Merkabah mysticism, the book "Yetsirah," general features of "Zohar" mysticism, the ten Sefirot, the Soul, and other topics.

204 pages, 8.65 MB, PDF. Scan.





Elias Gewurz - The Hidden Treasures of Ancient Qabalah (vol. I and II)


Contents I:




Contents II:



Strength and beauty are the two attractive elements of our nature, but the masculine strength and the feminine beauty are in reality one and the same thing. That which we admire as strength in the man is the same element that fascinates us as beauty in the woman. - from "The Feminine Elements in Man and Their Redeeming Power"

Kabbalah, the "Secret Doctrine of the Jews," was for many centuries the exclusive province of religious scholars who could read the old Hebrew Chaldaic language in which it was set down in the 12th century, when its mysteries were already ancient. But the thirst for spiritual enlightenment in our complicated age ensured that its arcane wisdom would inevitably come to light.

Here, in this 1918 edition, we can share in the beautiful insights of Kabbalah, into the difficulties of attaining peace, the dilemmas of justice and mercy, the need for spiritual regeneration, the soulful exploration of time and space, and the arcane paths of union with God. Anyone with a yearning for knowledge of the numinous and the serenity it brings will find succor here.

Vol. I:



Vol. II:





William G. Gray - Qabalistic Concepts: Living the Tree

The fundmentals of Qabalah are really very simple-it is essentially a search for "God", using a system of rational, mathematically related concepts. Qabalah is not, in itself, a form of religion. Rather, it is a way of working with the inner principles of life, in order to relate most directly and intimately to our natures-not in terms of the supernatural, but in terms of pure values applied to everyday awareness.

Those familiar with the subject of Qabalah will find the techniques used in this book very interesting. The mental techniques and symbolism are easy enough for the beginner to understand and for the some-what experienced to use as a stepping stone to look at things in a different way. Lack of familiarity with mysticism should not turn anyone away. The book is able to fill in a lot of the blanks that some people may have on the subject.

379 pages, 2 MB, PDF.





William G. Gray - The Ladder of Lights

The Tree of Life is growing, flexible and adaptable life pattern capable of indefinite extensions throughout all states of existence. The Qabalah, or "received teachings," is the outcome of experiences of those who have climbed the ladder of the Tree by arranging their lives according to its pattern of perfection. The Tree provides the means of receiving inner world contacts with types of consciuosness normally inaccessible to the ordinary human mind--it is from and through these sources that the "teaching" comes. Here William Gray has presented a step by step guide to the Tree of Life and the Four Worlds of the Qabalahs--the worlds of contemplation, meditation, magic and daily action. The Tree of Life is a means and not an end. It is a map for helping you attain the single objective common to all systems, mysteries and religions--namely, the mystical union of humanity and divinity.

Hands down, this is one of the best books on modern Qabala ever written! Gray takes a step-by-step look at the Ten Sephiroth and their traditional attributions in each of the Four Qabalistic Worlds. A relatively simple, no-nonsense approach to modern Qabalism.

In some ways, I view this book as a companion piece to Dion Fortune's much better-known work, "The Mystical Qabalah," since both books provide the reader with a fairly straightforward approach to this challenging subject. Where Fortune starts at the top of the Tree of Life and works her downward, however, Gray starts at the bottom of the Tree and works his way to the top. Although Grey's interpretation of the Tree is similar to Fortune's, by approaching the material from a completely different perspective he is also able to provide new insight.

228 pages, 1.14 MB, PDF.




From KABBALAH folder:

William F. Warren - The Earliest Cosmologies, The Universe as Pictured in Thought by Ancient Hebrews, Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, Iranians, and Indo-Aryans (1909)



CONTENTS:

CHAPTER I THE HEBREW UNIVERSE AS COMMONLY PICTURED

A typical representation
Inconsistency in interpretation
Lack of thoroughness
Antecedent probabilities
A profession of faith
The declaration of an astronomer

CHAPTER II THE HEBREW UNIVERSE AS PICTURED BY SCHIAPARELLI

An improved reconstruction of the system
International interest therein
Diagram less inclusive than its title
A double firmament and the reasons therefor
Embarrassing questions
God's will effective below but not above the earth

CHAPTER III THE BABYLONIAN UNIVERSE NEWLY INTERPRETED

Seven diagrams representing the Babylonian universe
No two of the seven alike
A new interpretation needed
The twelve conditions to be met
A diagram that satisfies each of the twelve requirements
Origin of this remarkable world-concept

CHAPTER IV THE BIBLICAL, RABBINICAL, AND KORANIC UNIVERSE IN THE LIGHT OF THE BABYLONIAN

Was the Biblical universe essentially Babylonian?
An argument against the supposition
Considerations favoring the supposition
The Rabbinical world-view
The Koranic
Mohammed's six ascents into the seventh heaven

CHAPTER V THE EGYPTIAN UNIVERSE

A pioneer's first representation
A contemporary criticism
Picture embodying some later modifications
Difficulties remain
Traces of agreement with the Babylonian system
Steindorff discovers but fails to correlate the Counter-earth

CHAPTER VI THE HOMERIC UNIVERSE

A claim that the Homeric earth is a sphere
Other parts of his universe more or less Babylonian
Where further evidence may be found
The irremovable "thresholds" above and below the earth
Testimony of Herodotus to Babylonian influence
An ampler present-day claim

CHAPTER VII THE INDO-IRANIAN UNIVERSE

The world-concept of the Sūrya, Siddhāanta
Sevenfold division of the Northern hemisphere
Sevenfold division of the Southern hemisphere
Substantial identity of Indian and Iranian world-concepts
The seven "island continents"
A puzzling passage made plain

CHAPTER VIII THE BUDDHISTIC UNIVERSE

Four chief deviations from the parent system
Nine points of agreement with it
Both agreements and deviations should be further investigated
Two pictures of the Buddhistic universe
One with quadrangular Dvīpas, the other with circular
More detailed description of this world-view in the Appendix

CHAPTER IX RECOVERED TRACE OF TWO LOST SPHERES

Two lunar and two solar spheres
Discriminations hitherto neglected
Difficulty of the task
It should nevertheless be undertaken
A long-standing problem in Egyptian cosmology
Its solution

CHAPTER X POINTS AND PROBLEMS FOR FUTURE STUDY

The prehistoric world-concept
Myths as beginnings of a philosophy of nature
Why hard to understand
Their seeming lack of harmony often unreal
Mythical representations of the world's axis
Also of the cosmic water-system
And of inter-mundane highways
The lunar sphere as bridge from underworld to upper
The Zodiac, when invented, and where
The answer to these questions becoming clearer

APPENDIX

I. The Mandala Oblation
II. Homer's Abode of the Dead
III. Homer's Abode of the Living
IV. The Gates of Sunrise in the Oldest Mythologies
V. The Homeland of the Gandharvas
VI. The World-Tree of the Teutons
VII. Problems Still Unsolved in Indo-Aryan Cosmology
VIII. Index of Authors
IX. Index of Subjects

234 pages, 14.3 MB, PDF. Scan.






William Bond - The Supernatural Philosopher (1728)



Or, The mysteries of magick, in all its branches, clearly unfolded, containing, I. An argument proving the perception which mankind have ... of daemons, genii ... II. A philosophical discourse concerning the second sight ... III. A full answer to all objections that can be brought against the existence of spirits, witches, &c. IV. Of divination by dreams ... V. Of inchantment, necromancy ... All exemplified in the history of the life and surprizing adventures of Mr. Duncan Campbell, A Scots gentleman, who, though deaf and dumb, writes down any stranger's name at first sight, with their future contingencies of fortune. Collected and compiled from the most approved authorities, wherein is inserted that most celebrated tract written by Dr. Wallis, The method of teaching deaf and dumb persons to read, write, and understand a language.

427 pages, 19 MB, PDF. Scan.






A.H. Sayce - The Religions of Ancient Egypt and Babylonia (1903)





Contents I:

A course of lectures on the religion of ancient Egypt by the noted archaeologist, A.H. Sayce.

530 pages, 33.3 MB, PDF. Scan.






William Simpson - The Jonah Legend (1899)



A suggestion of interpretation. In Mesopotamia, long before their sojourn in Egypt, the Semites were in contact with the Accadians, and it was only within a few years of the penning of this book that we began to learn through the cuneiform inscriptions the curious results which were produced. It was in this region that the Jonah legend, or at least its basis, originated. The point found in this book is that past commentators on Jonah had been in almost complete ignorance of the people and the ideas out of which the story sprung.

211 pages, 3.98 MB, PDF. Scan.

Abram Herbert Lewis - Paganism Surviving in Christianity



1892. Contents: remains of Paganism in Christianity; Pagan methods of interpreting the scriptures; Asiatic Pagan water worship; water worship in northern Europe and Mexico; Greek water worship; Pagan water worship transferred to Christianity; Pagan sun worship; Sunday observance unknown to Christianity before middle of 2nd century; state religion a Pagan institution; control of Christianity by state under Constantine and his successors; Constantine's legislation concerning Pagan Sunday; other forms of Pagan residuum in Christianity and five conclusions, fundamental principles of Protestantism involved in present issues.

339 pages, 4.3 MB, PDF. Scan.





A. Smythe Palmer - Babylonian Influence on the Bible and Popular Beliefs



We now know that the Bible creation stories had their origins in far older tales. These stories often match the Old Testament and originate from clay tablets discovered in ancient Sumeria and Babylonia. They are the oldest preserved stories the world has ever known, revealed in this interesting book and passed down for many centuries before being adopted by Moses or whoever wrote the Old Testament. It seems the "Word of God" may not have come entirely from God, but "the gods". It is important that the earliest sources of our beliefs be examined. That is the purpose of this book.

132 pages, 2.79 MB, PDF. Scan.






Frederic Portal - A Comparison of Egyptian Symbols With Those of the Hebrews



The origin of the science of symbols is lost in the distance of time, and seems to be connected with the cradle of humanity. The oldest religions were governed by it; the arts of design, architecture, statuary and painting were born under its influence, and primitive writing was one of its applications. This book compares the Egyptian symbols with those found in the works of Hebrews.

104 pages, 4.36 MB, PDF. Scan.






Otto H. Am Rhyn - Mysteria: History of the Secret Doctrines and Mystic Rites of Ancient Religions and Medieval and Modern Secret Orders



1895. Contents: Mysteries of the East and of Barbarous Nations; The Grecian Mysteries and the Roman Bacchanalia; The Pythagorean League and other Secret Associations; Son of Man, Son of God; A Pseudo-Messiah; A Lying Prophet; The Knights Templar; The Femgerichte; Stonemasons' Lodges of the Middle Age; Astrologers and Alchemists; Rise and Constitution of Freemasonry; Secret Societies of the Eighteenth Century; The Illuminati; Secret Societies of Various Kinds.

262 pages, 8.61 MB, PDF. Scan.

Duncan's Ritual of Freemasonry



GUIDE TO THE THREE SYMBOLIC DEGREES OF THE ANCIENT YORK RITE AND TO THE DEGREES OF MARK MASTER, PAST MASTER, MOST EXCELLENT MASTER, AND THE ROYAL ARCH. The purpose of this work is not so much to gratify the curiosity of the uninitiated as to furnish a guide for the neophytes of the Order, by means of which their progress from grade to grade may be facilitated. Every statement in the book is authentic, as every proficient Mason will admit to himself, if not to be public, as he turns over its pages. The non-Masonic reader, as he peruses them, will perhaps be puzzled to imagine why matters of so little real importance to society at large should have been so industriously concealed for centuries, and still more surprised that society should have been so extremely inquisitive about them. Complete with over 100 illustrations showing the signs, emblems, handshakes, postions, ect...

499 pages, 3.68 MB, PDF. Scan.






Henry Leonard Stillson - History of the Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons and Concordant Orders



A massive and brilliant work on the history (both mundane and spiritual) of Freemasonry. Partial contents: The Ancient Mysteries; Orders of Chivalry; Old Charges; Cognate Orders; Ancient Manuscripts; The Morgan Excitement; Masonic Jurisprudence; The Capitular Degrees; The Cryptic Degrees; Eulogium of the Ancient Craft; Knights Templars and Allied Orders; The Scottish Rite; The Royal Order of Scotland; Eastern Star; The Rosicrucians; Illustrations.

894 pages, 35.1 MB, PDF. Scan.





Albert Pike - Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry





The teachings of these Readings are not sacramental, so far as they go beyond the realm of Morality into those of other domains of Thought and Truth. The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite uses the word Dogma in its true sense, of doctrine, or teaching; and is not dogmatic in the odious sense of that term. Everyone is entirely free to reject and dissent from whatsoever herein may seem to him to be untrue or unsound. It is only required of him that he shall weigh what is taught, and give it fair hearing and unprejudiced judgment. Of course, the ancient theosophic and philosophic speculations are not embodied as part of the doctrines of the Rite; but because it is of interest and profit to know what the Ancient Intellect thought upon these subjects, and because nothing so conclusively proves the radical difference between our human and the animal nature, as the capacity of the human mind to entertain such speculations in regard to itself and the Deity.

Contents:

Preface
I. Apprentice
II. The Fellow-Craft
III. The Master
IV. Secret Master
V. Perfect Master
IV. Intimate Secretary
VII. Provost and Judge
VIII. Intendant of the Building
IX. Elect of the Nine
X. Illustrious Elect of the Fifteen
XI. Sublime Elect of the Twelve, or Prince Ameth
XII. Grand Master Architect
XIII. Royal Arch of Solomon
XIV. Grand Elect, Perfect, and Sublime Mason
Chapter of Rose Croix
XV. Knight of the East or of the Sword
XVI. Prince of Jerusalem
XVII. Knight of the East and West
XVIII. Knight Rose Croix
Council of Kadosh
XIX. Grand Pontiff
XX. Grand Master of All Symbolic Lodges
XXI. Noachite, or Prussian Knight
XXII. Knight of the Royal Axe, or Prince of Libanus
XXIII. Chief of the Tabernacle
XXIV. Prince of the Tabernacle
XXV. Knight of the Brazen Serpent
XXVI. Prince of Mercy, or Scottish Trinitarian
XXVII. Knight Commander of the Temple
XXVIII. Knight of the Sun, or Prince Adept
XXIX. Grand Scottish Knight of St. Andrew
XXX. Knight Kadosh
Consistory
XXI. Grand Inspector Inquisitor Commander
XXXII. Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret

888 pages, 44.7 MB, PDF. Scan. A must have!!





Bro Phillip Hellier - Masonic Approach to Self Development




Bro Hunt - The Masters Word and the Letter G





From FREEMASONRY folder:

Hargrave Jennings - Phallicism: Celestial and Terrestrial; Heathen and Christian and Its Connection with the Rosicrucians and the Gnostics and Its foundation in Buddhism



Partial Contents: Definitions; History of the Phallic symbol-structures; Classes of the Phalli; Celestial or Theosophical doctrine of the unsexual transcendental Phallicism; Mysteries of Phallus; its idealized Gnostic, Rosicrucian or Christian renderings; Rites and ceremonies; Hebrew Phallicism; Rosicrucian and Gnostic meanings of the obelisks; Priapic illustrations; Transcendental ideas of the Rosicrucians; their Cabalistic philosophy as to the occult interchange of Nature and Magic; Mystic anatomy of the Rosicrucian philosophers; Gnostics and their beliefs; Indian Religions.

356 pages, 4.42 MB, PDF.






Hargrave Jennings - Phallism, Crux Ansata



A description of the worship of lingham-yoni (******-*****) in various parts of the world, and in different ages : with an account of ancient & modern crosses, particularly of the crux ansata (or handles cross), and other symbols connected with the mysteries of sex worship.

98 pages, 683 KB, PDF.






Hargrave Jennings - Phallic Objects, Monuments and Remains



1889. Illustrations of the rise and development of the phallic idea, or sex worship, and its embodiment in works of nature and art. This volume describes a number of the most celebrated monuments, consisting of towers, pillars and stones connected with phallicism. It exhibits and illustrates many of the peculiar features of that singular worship and the wide extent of territory over which it prevailed.

78 pages, 675 KB, PDF.






Robert Allen Campbell - Phallic Worship



In this book Campbell concentrates on five key religious symbols -the pillar, triad, triangle, cross, and serpent -that are found in all the world´s great religions, in many periods of history. He considers why these emblems were chosen as symbols of religious ideas, what they originally represented, when they were first adopted, why they came into such wide use, what they mean now and how and why the meanings of these symbols changed from their original values to their present ones. The illustrations show many parallels across time and space -like the variations of the twined snake symbol, variously known as the Caduceus of Mercury, the Rod of Aesculapius, the Wand of Hermes, and the Staff of Siva, which all symbolize energy and healing.

206 pages, 1.12 MB, PDF.





from HERMETISM 4shared folder:

Max Heindel - Mysteries of the Great Operas



1921. Contents: Faust; Parsifal; Ring of the Niebelung; Tannhauser; Lohengrin.

192 pages, 14.6 MB, PDF. Scan.





Max Heindel - The Rosicrucian Mysteries: An Elementary Exposition of their Secret Teachings



"The Rosicrucian Order is a legendary esoteric Order with its roots in the Western mystery tradition. This hermetic Order is viewed among earlier and many modern Rosicrucianists as a "College of Invisibles" from the inner worlds, composed of great Adepts, aiming to give assistance in humanity's spiritual development.

The "Brethren of the Rose Cross" is perceived by students of metaphysics as an important part or even the source of the hermetic-Christian tradition of the Western alchemy treatises period subsequent to the publication of Dante's The Divine Comedy in the early 14th century.

However, researchers of history and the society in general through the last centuries have assumed its origin in a group of German Protestants between 1607 and 1616 (early 17th century), when three anonymous documents were elaborated and published in Europe: Fama Fraternitatis Rosae Crucis, Confessio Fraternitatis, and Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz anno 1459. The influence of these documents, presenting the "most laudable Order" and promoting a "Universal Reformation of Mankind", was so huge that the historian Frances Yates refers to this period of the 17th century as the Rosicrucian Enlightenment. Members of subsequent organized groups which call themselves Rosicrucian, however, date the beginning of the Order to much more ancient times." (Quote from wikipedia.org)

Table of Contents:

Publisher's Preface; The Order Of Rosicrucians And The Rosicrucian Fellowship; The Problem Of Life And Its Solution; The visible And The Invisible Worlds; The Constitution Of Man; Life And Death

216 pages, 19.3 MB, PDF. Scan.





Max Heindel - Rosicrucian Philosophy in Questions and Answers



1910. The questions contained in this book have been asked of the writer after lectures delivered by him in various cities, and, in most cases, the questions reveal a certain knowledge of the subject on the part of the inquirer. For the benefit of those who are not familiar with The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception, it may be well to give the information found in this book concerning the philosophy and the terms used.

456 pages, 41.2 MB, PDF. Scan.





Max Heindel - Gleanings of a Mystic



1922. A series of essays on practical mysticism. The contents of this book are among the last writings of Max Heindel, the mystic. They contain some of his deepest thoughts and are the result of years of research and occult investigation. Found within this book are twenty-four lessons which were formerly sent out to students.

216 pages, 18 MB, PDF. Scan.





Max Heindel - The Mystical Interpretation of Christmas



The principal feature of these lessons is the mystic birth and death of the great Christ Spirit, given from the viewpoint of a seer. The author received these rare gems of truth through divine illumination. The most pronounced materialist must become convinced of the divinity of man after reading this writer's revelations on the inner significance of the Christ and the principles which He proclaimed.

* Chapter I. The Cosmic Significance of Christmas
* Chapter II. Spiritual Light--The New Element and the New Substance
* Chapter III. The Annual Sacrifice of Christ
* Chapter IV. The Mystic Midnight Sun
* Chapter V. The Mission of Christ and the Festival of the Fairies
* Chapter VI. The Newborn Christ

72 pages, 7.23 MB, PDF. Scan.





From ROSICRUCIANISM AND MARTINISM folder:

C. F. Oldham - The Sun and the Serpent



1905. A contribution to the history of serpent worship. This work is based upon papers read before the Royal Asiatic Society in 1901. It relates that serpent worship did not originate in India, but has been a branch of the worship of the Sun and Serpent, once a universal form of worship. Therefore, the history takes the reader beyond the Indian cult to other countries to explain the nature and origin of serpent worship. Most of the illustrations are from photographs taken by the author.

282 pages, 10 MB, PDF. Scan.





Clarke Wake - Serpent and Siva Worship



1877. Comprehensive treatise on the Serpent Cultus.

77 pages, 2.4 MB, PDF. Scan.





E.G. Squier - The Serpent Symbol, and the Worship of the Reciprocal Principles of Nature in America



1851. This volume represents No. 1 of the American Archeological Researches series. The points in which the author attempts in some degree to illustrate in the following pages, are the essential identity of some of the elementary religious conceptions of the primitive nations of the Old and New Worlds, and the similarity in their modes of expressing them, or rather the similarity in their symbolical system, of which Mr. Squier regards as the machinery of creation, the multiplication of gods, and the investing of them with attributes, as parts. Illustrated.

279 pages, 8.43 MB, PDF. Scan.





William R. Cooper - The Serpent Myths Of Ancient Egypt



In The Serpent Myths of Ancient Egypt, William Ricketts Cooper focuses on the serpent myth and ideology in ancient Egypt and how it applies to the Ritual of the Dead. He supports his study with copious illustrations showing the two aspects of the serpent: protector and destroyer. A group discussion with the themes of the serpent in history and myths of other cultures is included in the appendix, as well as lists of names of serpents and serpent deities and their epithets applied in the Ritual of the Dead. Through this exploration of the serpent symbolism in ancient Egypt, we are also shown intimations of the coming Christian age.

111 pages, 2.48 MB, PDF. Scan.





Hargrave Jennings - Ophiolatreia or Serpent Worship



An account of the rites & mysteries connected with the origin, rise & development of serpent worship in various parts of the world. Enriched with interesting traditions, and a full description of the celebrated serpent mounds & temples, the whole forming.

120 pages, 6.73 MB, PDF. Scan.

Robert Eisler - Orpheus the Fisher: Comparative Studies in Orphic and Christian Cult Symbolism



Christianity is permeated with powerful symbolism! This book reveals hundreds of symbols, their origins, and meanings. Essential reading for mystics and Christians who seek a path to the roots of Christianity.

444 pages, 18.3 MB, PDF. Scan.






J. Ralston Skinner - Key to the Hebrew Egyptian Mystery in The Source of Measures



1875. Contents: Hebrew alphabet, values and powers; Quadrature of the circle; Reflections on quadrature; Three revolving bodies; Coordinating unit of measure; Ansated cross of Egyptians and Christian cross; Primordial vestiges of these symbols; British system of long and land measures inclusive of an occult system; Construction of great pyramid; Putting pyramid in a sphere; Temple of Solomon; plus much more.

355 pages, 7.2 MB, PDF. Scan.






Charles W. Heckethorn - Secret Societies of All Ages and Countries



A massive study of secret organizations which provides both historical and ritualistic information on groups of all kinds: occult, religious, political, anarchist, etc. About one-third of volume two is dedicated to Freemasonry, its rites and rituals, which it examines in some detail. A pleasure to read and an essential reference work, Highly recommended. Embracing the Mysteries of Ancient India, China, Japan, Egypt, Mexico, Peru, Greece, and Scandinavia; The Cabalists, Early Christians, Heretics, Assassins, Thugs, Templars, the Vehm and Inquisition, Mystics, Rosicrucians, Illuminati, Freemasons, Skopzi, Camorristi, Carbonari, Nihilists and Other Sects. Partial Contents: Ancient Mysteries; Magi, Mithraics; Gnostics; Essenes; Christian Initiations; Apocalypse; Lodge of Wisdom; Assassins; Druses; Dervishes; Mexican and Peruvian Mysteries; Druids; Scandinavian Mysteries; The Cabbala; Sons of the Widow; Mystics; Alchymists; Jacob Bohme; Emanuel Swedenborg; Martinism; Rosicrucians; Asiatic Brethren; Heretics; Chivalry; Templars; Judiciary; Holy Vehm; Inquisition; Illuminati; Anti-Social Societies; Thugs; Chauffeurs, or Burners; Garduna; Camorra; Mala Vita; Mafia; Beggars, Tramps, and Thieves; Jesuits; Skopzi.

vol.I:

389 pages, 6.98 MB, PDF. Scan.




vol. II:

395 pages, 10.3 MB, PDF. Scan.






Franz Cumont - The Mysteries of Mithra



1903. Contents: Preface to the French Edition; The Origins of Mithraism; The Dissemination of Mithraism in the Roman Empire; Mithra and the Imperial Power of Rome; The Doctrine of the Mithraic Mysteries; The Mithraic Liturgy, Clergy and Devotees; Mithraism and the Religions of the Empire; Mithraic Art; Index.

274 pages, 19.6 MB, PDF. Scan.






Isabel Cooper-Oakley - Traces of a Hidden Tradition in Masonry and Medieval Mysticism



1900. This is a set of essays by Isabel Cooper-Oakley, an early member of the Theosophists. She connects the dots between ancient wisdom schools and modern Freemasonry. At the root of this tree are a set of ideas from Hinduism, Zororastrianism, Gnosticism and early Christianity. Along the way she connects a number of links such as the Knights-Templars, the Troubadours and the Rosicrucians. She names dozens of even more obscure secret societies, heresies and conspiracies. The book finishes with an analysis of the Grail myth.

Cooper-Oakley writes from an openly Theosophical world-view. However, she is a more than competent historical writer, and quotes extensively from primary and secondary sources to make her point. This book provides abundant background information that anyone trying to understand this topic should have a grasp of.

Contents:

Publisher's Preface; Introduction; Towards The Hidden Sources Of Masonry; The Traditions Of The Templars Revived In Masonry; The Troubadours, The Singing Messengers From East To West; The Heavenly Kingdom Of The Holy Grail; Part I.; Part ii.; Part iii.; Endnotes

201 pages, 3.75 MB, PDF. Scan.

Rabbi Jacob I. Schochet - Mystical Concepts in Chassidism: An Introduction to Kabbalistic Concepts and Doctrines



An excellent guide to the intricate concepts of Jewish mysticism found in Chabad Chasidic philosphy. It traces the history of Jewish mysticism from its earliest beginnings through its expansion in the sixteenth century and the new era of its promulgation through the Chasidic movement. Special attention is given to the teachings of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, who first elucidated Kabbalistic concepts in a systematic manner and made them accessible to the average person.

168 pages, 5.04 MB, PDF. Scan.





Rabbi Jacob I. Schochet - The Mystical Tradition: Insights into the Nature of the Mystical Tradition in Judaism (The Mystical Dimension, Vol. 1)



Jewish mysticism has long fascinated and intrigued scholars and truth-seekers of every kind. Kabbalah, the esoteric wisdom of Judaism, and chasidism, its more accessible modern counterpart, have been the sublect of endless study and research. An authentic and scholarly English text that draws upon the full spectrum of traditional Jewish sources is a most valuable addition to this study. In this three-volume series, Rabbi Schochet, presents a sweeping survey of the major themes and concepts found in kabbalah and chasidism, and show how the exoteric and esoteric aspects of Torah complement each other in a manner analogous to body and soul of one entity.

Volume One: The Mystical Tradition - An overview of the general nature of Jewish mysticism, its place within Judaism, the unique aspects that distinguish it from non-Jewish mysticism, and the significance of its dissemination in modern times.

151 pages, 4 MB, PDF. Scan.





Rabbi Jacob I. Schochet - - "Deep Calling Unto Deep": The Dynamics of Prayer and Teshuvah in the Perspective of Chassidism (Mystical Dimension, Vol. 2)



Jewish mysticism has long fascinated and intrigued scholars and truth-seekers of every kind. Kabbalah, the esoteric wisdom of Judaism, and chasidism, its more accessible modern counterpart, have been the sublect of endless study and research. An authentic and scholarly English text that draws upon the full spectrum of traditional Jewish sources is a most valuable addition to this study. In this three-volume series, Rabbi Schochet, presents a sweeping survey of the major themes and concepts found in kabbalah and chasidism, and show how the exoteric and esoteric aspects of Torah complement each other in a manner analogous to body and soul of one entity.

Volume Two: Deep calling Unto Deep - Jewish mysticism, particularly chasidism, offers unique insights into the dynamics of both tefilah, prayer, and teshuvah, repentance. This volume helps to make the practice of the these two fundamental principles of Judaism a more consciously vital experience, exploring the spiritual dimensions of each of them.

141 pages, 3.44 MB, PDF. Scan.





Steven Ashe - The Qabalah of 50 Gates

With a definitive introduction by the author, The Qabalah of 50 Gates delves into the lore of the internal journey of the initiate along the lines of the Yetzirahtic story telling tradition, incorporating lore from the mythos-cycle of Golden Dawn Hermetics, Aleister Crowley's 'Thelema' and the mercurial methodology of Gurdjieff. This book has its roots in the Golden Dawn tradition of Magick and Alchemy, drawing upon the legends of the mediaeval alchemic-philosophers, the infinity-mathematics of Georg Cantor, the Tantric Qabalah of Aleister Crowley. It is a tour de force of parables describing the experience of each of the 50 Gates of the Qabalah which combine to present a puzzle within an enigma within a mystery. A new introduction by the author explains the symbolism featuring throughout the work.

108 pages, 210 KB, PDF.





William G. Gray - Condensation of Kabbalah

20 pages, 466 KB, PDF.




William G. Gray - The Language of the Gods

118 pages, 666 KB, PDF.




William G. Gray - Novena of the Tree of Life

21 pages, 102 KB, PDF.





Isaac Myer - Qabbalah, The Philosophical Writings of Ibn Gebirol



"The Qabbalah: The Philosophical Writings Of Solomon Ben Yehudah Ibn Gebirol Or Avicebron And Their connection with the Hebrew Qabbalah and Sepher ha-Zohar, with remarks upon the antiquity and content of the latter, and translations of selected passages from the same. Also An Ancient Lodge of Initiates, Translated From The Zohar, And an abstract upon the Chinese Qabbalah, contained in the book called the Yih King; a translation of part of the Mystic Theology of Dionysios, the Aeropagite; and an account of the construction of the ancient Akkadian and Chaldean Universe, etc. Accompanied by Diagrams and Illustrations"

Such is the title of an admirably thoughtful, learned, and very conscientious volume by Mr. Isaac Myer, LL.B., of Philadelphia, U.S.A.

As this new work is of an extreme importance to all students of the Kabala and the Hermetic Sciences in general, it is proposed to devote to it rather a lengthy review. In the present case “the labourer is (fully) worthy of his hire,” and no passing notice could answer either the author’s or our own object. Therefore, his Qabbalah has to be examined both from the standpoint of its own intrinsic value— which is very great and from that of the aim with which it was written. We will begin by the latter, basing our remarks on the declarations of the author himself. Says Mr. I. Myer in his “Introduction”

530 pages, 10.8 MB, PDF. Scan.

Kenneth Hanson - Kabbalah: 3000 Years of Mystic Tradition



Hebrew scholar and author of "Dead Sea Scrolls: The Untold Story" turns his attention to the enthralling history of Kabbalah--depicting how it has developed through three millennia to provide the mystic strain of Judaism and later of Christianity.

Historical account of the development of the Kabbalah & the mystic strains of Judasim & Christianity. Includes 2,200 years of Jewish history & prophets.

267 pages, 5.26 MB, PDF. Scan.





Michael R. Kellogg - Wondrous Wisdom



Today interest in Kabbalah has exploded worldwide. Millions of people are seeking answers as to what this ancient wisdom really is, and where they can find authentic instruction. With so many conflicting ideas about Kabbalah on the internet, in books, and in the mass media; the time has finally arrived to answer humanity's need, and reveal the wisdom to all who truly desire to know. In Wondrous Wisdom you will receive the first steps, an initial course on Kabbalah, based solely on authentic teachings passed down from Kabbalist teacher to student over thousands of years. Offered within is a sequence of lessons revealing the nature of the wisdom and explaining the method of attaining it. For every person questioning "Who am I really?" and "Why am I on this planet?" this book is an absolute must. But if you listen with your heart to one famous question, I am sure that all your doubts as to whether you should study the Kabbalah will vanish without a trace. This question is a bitter and fair one, asked by all born on earth: What is the meaning of my life? Rav Yehuda Ashlag, from Introduction to Talmud Eser Sefirot

200 pages, 1.47 MB, PDF.





S. Pancoast - The Kabbala Or, The True Science of Light



An Introduction to the Philosophy and Theosophy of the Ancient Sages together with a chapter on Light in the Vegetable Kingdom; "This little volume, devoted to the True Science of Light, especially in its relations to life and health, and its applicability as a remedy in disease, is affectionately and respectfully dedicated by the author." S. Pancoast was a physician to H.P. Blavatsky. Contents: Ancient Ideas of Light and Heat; True Science of Light-Truths and Theories-What we Know, and What we Believe; Light Manifested in Atmospheric Electricity and in Terrestrial Magnetism; Material Forms and Vital Dynamics; Human Organism and its Vital Dynamics; Centres and Original Source of Vital Dynamics within the Human Organism, and the Great Actual Source; How to Assist Nature in Banishing Disease from the Human Organism; Light and its Rays Nature's Own and Only Remedies for Disease-How to apply Light to the Human Organism; Light in the Vegetable Kingdom; Light the Sole Source of Life-Light the Developer of Material Forms-Forms Developed Solely to Manifest Life-Light Nature's Means of Preserving Life-Hence, Light Nature's Means of Banishing Disease by Restoring the Equilibrium that Constitutes Health.

331 pages, 10 MB, PDF. Scan.





Frederick Bligh Bond - Gematria: A Preliminary Investigation of the Cabala

Gematria: A preliminary investigation of the Cabala contained in the Coptic Gnostic books, and of a similar Gematria in the Greek text of the New Testament : showing the presence of a system of teaching by means of the doctrinal significance of numbers, by which the holy names are clearly seen to represent aeonial relationships which can be conceived in a geometric sense and are capable of a typical expression of that order.

89 pages, 700 KB, PDF.





Sepharial - The Kabala Of Numbers

1920. Parts 1 and 2 are combined in this book. A book of Kabalistic numerology: how numbers effect our lives and how they can be used to access the occult. Selected chapters: The power of numbers; Various methods of Kabalism; Number and automatism; Thought-reading by numbers; The Kabalism of cycles; Bruno's symbolism; God geometrises; Number as expressing thought; Number in relation to feeling; The law of periodicity; Coincidences make laws; Phrenoscopy; Planetary hours; Science and superstition.

206 pages, 2.16 MB, PDF.





More from KABBALAH folder:

Builders of the Adytum (BOTA) Course

BOTA is a mystery school based out of Los Angeles, California. Members receive lessons covering subjects such as self-awareness, esoteric psychology, Tarot, Qabalah, Astrology, and meditation techniques.

The complete mail order course involves between 13-15 years of dedicated study. The Tarot portion is generally considered the most in depth training available on the subject. The symbolic systems of Tarot are explained as representing parts of the Self; a more reasoned approach than the traditional throwing of Tarot cards to predict future events.

Dr. Paul Foster Case, a 33° freemason, was expelled from the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn by Moina Mathers in 1922. Case had begun discussing sex magick; a topic which was frowned upon by Mathers and fell outside the Order curriculum. In addition, members complained about a personal relationship between Case and a soror, Lilli Geise. Case went on to establish Builders of the Adytum after resigning his position as Praemonstrator and abandoning his lucrative musical career. After his death in 1954, his colleague, Dr. Ann Davies, extended his published work and initiated an international expansion of the Order.

Some materials covering theoretical and practical work:

Contents:

BOTA 1 - Seven Steps in Practical Occultism
BOTA 2 - Introduction to Tarot
BOTA 3 - Tarot Fundamentals
BOTA 4 - Developing Supersensory Powers
BOTA 5 - Tarot Interpretation
BOTA - Hebrew Letter Workbook
Paul Foster Case - The Correlation of Sound and Color
Paul Foster Case - The Secret Doctrine of the Tarot
Paul Foster Case - Introduction to the Study of the Tarot
Paul Foster Case - 32 Paths of Wisdom
Paul Foster Case - Life Power
Paul Foster Case - The Book of Tokens

78 MB, PDFs.




Printable BOTA Tarot deck:

2.03 MB

Robert Macoy - General History, Cyclopedia and Dictionary of Freemasonry



Containing an Elaborate Account of the Rise and Progress of Freemasonry, and its Kindred Associations, Ancient and Modern. Also, definitions of the technical terms used by the Fraternity. Illustrated with 300 Engravings. The present volume is intended to remedy many of the defects and omissions of its predecessors, and to exhibit, in a form of easy reference, the latest developments and progress of the institution, and the results of more recent investigations. It contains a comprehensive explication of the whole system of Freemasonry, and of kindred or similar associations-ancient and modern-being a careful condensation of all that has ever been written on the subject; intelligible to the Fraternity, and mysterious to the profane. Essential and Scarce.

714 pages, 60.6 MB, PDfF. Scan.





Jeremiah How - The Freemason's Manual



Originally published in 1862 and intended as a much-needed update to William Preston's Illustrations of Masonry, The Freemason's Manual sought to provide English Freemasons a deep explanation and education concerning many other Masonic degree systems recognized at the time. In addition, the book surveys the history of dozens of Masonic rites (both recognized and unrecognized) including the Ancient and Accepted Rite (Scottish Rite) and the York Rite (including the Mark Master, the Holy Royal arch, and the Knight Templar degrees), the Rite of Perfection, the Strict Observance, the Elu Cohens, the Rite of Philalethes, Swedenborg's Rite, the Rite of Mizraim, the Rite of Memphis, the Mopses, and Adoptive Masonry. Several details of these degrees are provided at a time before many subsequent changes made to the ritual work. This book offers a rare and intriguing glimpse into the Scottish Rite degrees before the influence of Albert Pike and from the perspective of English Freemasonry.

455 pages, 8.66 MB, PDF. Scan.






Albert Mackey - The Mystic Tie



1867. Or facts and opinions, illustrative of the character and tendency of Freemasonry. There are many good and well-meaning men and women, who, having been tainted or deceived by various pernicious publication, entertain the most ungenerous and prejudiced opinions of the Masonic Order. In friendly controversy with such persons, laboring under mistaken views, Mackey's brethren may find some assistance from the pages herein contributed toward the advancement of that institution, to which his attachment increased with his knowledge of its principles.

271 pages, 8.77 MB, PDF. Scan.




More from FREEMASONRY 4shared folder:

INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE OF ESOTERIC STUDIES

ICES is a non-profit educational institution devoted to the advancement and mystical enlightenment of man. ICES is a college, not a 'secret order.'

ICES distributes lectures from the traditional initiatic stream. Many of these lectures were originally in a foreign language and required translations into English. Many of the lectures were once the knowledge-papers given in particular fraternities. Many of the fraternities are now defunct thanks to World War II. Most of the lectures ICES distributes are no longer available from their original sources.

ICES has no teachings of its own, it is not the author of the material that it circulates. It is simply doing a service for the Light. As an organization, it has no opinion of its own, it is absolutely impartial and has no favorites. At the membership level, individual members are free to accept or reject any of the ideas expressed in the lectures.

ICES is pleased to share its heritage of esoteric teachings with all sincere aspirants who hunger and thirst for Spiritual Enlightenment, who seek to live a life of purpose, happiness, meaning and success.

Each lecture in each Liber carries an identification indicating its origin.

ICES first started as the ICOM, which, at the time, was established to desseminate Martinist teachings. Later it broadened its curriculum to include material from Alchemy, Freemasonry, Gnosticism, the Grail, Hermetica, Kabbalah, Rosicrucianism, etc. (It was because of this expansion that the name was changed from International College of Martinists to International College of Esoteric Studies, to more accurately identify its scope.)

ICES is for the neophyte on the esoteric path as well as for the veteran sojourner. Among membership can be found pilgims from over fifty countries, from all religions, races and sexes and from all organizations including: AMORC, Astara, ARE, BOTA, CIRCES, Eckankar, Freemasonry, Gnostics, Hierarchy Esoterica, Illuminati, Martinists, Mayans, Rose+Croix, Servants of the Light, SRF, the Theosophical Society, the Brethren of the White Temple... you name it and you'll find them here!

Course materials:

198 MB, PDF. Scan. 99 books/libers filled with theoretical and practical information.

JEAN DUBUIS - QABALA (THE COURSE)

"What is the Qabala? What are the aim and results of its study? The Qabala is a comprehensive approach and an integral study of all that which exists on the physical and metaphysical planes: the creation process, the ties between the created and the Source of Creation, the mechanisms of Nature, the various worlds and the various space-times."
- From Qabala, Lesson 1

Qabala study program consists of 72 lessons in 3 volumes. The material is largely practical instruction, and differs from most information found in popular books on the subject. This course is rather concentrated and does require some work, however, it provides teachings that are often spread out over a period of thirty or more years.

* Clear and concise theoretical presentation of the Qabalistic world view,
* The manipulation of the Universal Energy to produce an energetic and spiritual evolution of the body,
* The use of rituals which allow one to act selectively on the psychic energies to reestablish the preliminary balance needed for Inner Initiation,
* The study of the paths of the Tree of Life to assist the individual in understanding their level of Inner Initiation and to progress further on their Path,
* Practical aspects of Qabala

Contents:

Dubuis, Jean - Qabala, The Philosophers of Nature Vol. 1
Dubuis, Jean - Qabala, The Philosophers of Nature Vol. 2
Dubuis, Jean - Qabala, The Philosophers of Nature Vol. 3

28.6 MB, PDF. Scan.





A.E. Waite - Azoth Or the Star in the East



Embracing the First Matter of the Magnum Opus, the Evolution of Aphrodite-Urania, the Supernatural Generation of the Son of the Sun, and the Alchemical Transfiguration of Humanity. This was an earlier book of Waite's, written when he was young and immersed in the study of alchemy. Contents: The Sublimating Principle of Alchemy; Symbolism of Israfel and Lucasta; The Agnostic Standpoint; Mysticism; Mysticism a Practical Science; Transcendental Science and Religion; Mystical Philosophy of Nature; Evolution and Mysticism; The Outward Man; Hermetic Doctrine and Development; Perfection of Humanity; Steps in the Way of Attainment; Religion of Evolution; Grounds of Spiritual Practice; The Holy Assembly; Catholic Doctrine of Theosophy and Mysticism; Five Nuptials of Ideal Being; The New Birth; The First Sublimation; Interior Sublimation; The Obscure Night; Evolution of the Interior Life.

265 pages, 4.87 MB, PDF. Scan. Excellent work on spiritual alchemy.





Karen-Claire Voss - Spiritual Alchemy, Interpreting Representative Texts and Images

29 pages, 670 KB, PDF.





J.S. Bullock - Alchemy Brass 1 (Spiritual Alchemy)

6 pages, 273 KB, PDF.





J.S. Bullock - Alchemy Brass 2 (Spiritual Alchemy)

6 pages, 416 KB, PDF.

Pat Zalewski - Kabbalah Of The Golden Dawn





How the ancient and mystic wisdom of the Kabbalah impacts on the Order of the Golden Dawn is the focus of this inter-disciplinary book. A true melding of ideology.

The key to this book's value is that it is a reference book of source material meant to live in the context of a Golden Dawn collection. It is packed with original material not to be found elsewhere in print, before or yet again as of the date of this review. While this book will be of interest to everyone who studies Kabbalah, it will be of especial interest to Golden Dawn practitioners and scholars who wish to deepen their knowledge of this particular "GD" approach to Kabbalah. Having said that, it is not a Primer but assumes a basic knowledge of the GD kabbalistic structure and metaphors available elsewhere, from which basis it is a deeper discussion and an enhancement -- even, in some cases, an intriguing challenge to what is elsewhere printed.

It will therefore be invaluable to anyone who has already picked up the basics of the Golden Dawn approach to Kabbalah who wants deeper information on a particular point, at which time they can study the original documents inside, which are minimally colored by commentary.

A technical example is the Chapter on the ShemHaMephorash, or the name in extension. Zalewski tells where the original Philosophus lecture comes from, and provides an interesting diagram from that original Paper that stands in contrast to the Leo centered ordering of the angels of the Name provided by Mathers, a scheme which is central to the GD understanding of the Tarot pip cards. This may be significant or not to different readers, but is invaluable food for thought to anyone seriously working out for themselves the true attributions of the Name in Extension to the Zodiac and the Tarot.

237 pages, 9.36 MB, PDF. Scan.





Mouni Sadhu - The Tarot: A Contemporary Course Of The Quintessence Of Hermetic Occultism





In twenty two chapters, using the Arcana of the Tarot as a guide, the Hermetic tradition is unveiled. For those with eyes to see and ears to listen the secrets of Western Occultism are outlined and explained. From the Astral Vortex to Will Power, this book is truly encyclopedic in its examination of all aspects of initiatory thinking. Any discerning reader will discover completely new horizons of thought, activity, cosmogony and practical magic in this traditional form of Hermetic Occultism.

This scholarly work creates a new epoch in traditional occult philosophy. It is the first contemporary encyclopedic exposition of the great Western Tradition since the basic books by Eliphas L, vi and Papus, and it also has full practical utility. The Philosophical Tarot has always been recognized as a universal key to all wisdom attainable by human beings. This text will be of particular interest, because of its kindred approach, to the many readers of the extraordinary contemporary masterpiece Meditations on the Tarot, by an anonymous writer much valued in esoteric circles throughout the world. The present work is by no means just a theoretical treatise accessible only to specialists, for anyone can understand the initiatory concepts of Mouni Sadhu's Tarot, perceiving completely new horizons of thought, activity, psychology, cosmology, and practical esotericism. In this text a great number of questions which occur to the earnest seeker are answered in a new and fascinating way, and the solution of the philosophical equations arising from the Arcana opens new vistas in every field of life. The book is suitably subdivided into 100 separate lessons, allowing for systematic study.

473 pages, 22.8 MB, PDF. Scan.





Marie L. Farrington - Facing the Sphinx (1889)







CONTENTS:

CHAPTER I: FACING THE SPHINX

The Masculine Sphinx was not the Primitive Type; Cosmogony and Anthropogenesis; Totem Signs; The Eternal Celestial Book; Astronomy versus
Symbology; Keys to the Jewish Scriptures; The Concessions of the Romish Church; The Age of the Earth; The Age of Mankind; Darwin's Opinion; The Earth's Periods; Evolution; Gaudry's Opinion; Continental Glaciers; White and Black Types; Seventeen Pre-historical Men; A Monstrous Snake and a Gigantic Man; Palaeolithic Arts; Neolithic Lake Dwellers; A Miocene Civilization; The Eocene Age

CHAPTER II: CONTINENTS

The Zodiac of Denderah; The Sidereal Year; The Egyptians' Mastery of Exact Sciences; Central Americans and Egyptians Had a Common Origin; The Ancient Races of Central America; The Ballet of the Tapirs; The Importation of Tapirs to America; Symbolism of the Palm: Atlantis was a Continent; The Evolutionary Phases of the Earth; The Cyclic Law; A Cataclysm that Lasted 150,000 Years; The Birth of Africa; The Magnus Annus; Destruction by Water and by Fire; Biblical Theories; The Hyperborean Continent; Amber, The Stone of the Sun; The Origin of Numbers

CHAPTER III: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE RACES

What is Creation? The Mosaic God; Our Earth; Space; Quiche Manuscript; The Name of God; Universal Laws; The "Heart of Heaven;" The Central Sun; Plato's Anima Mundi; The Life Center; The Mexican Four Creations; The Three Quiche Creations; Causes and Effects; The Birth of Man; The Early Giants; The Missing Link; Separation of Sexes; The Nabathean Agriculture; The Disrespectful Son; Adam the Red; The Four Adams of Genesis; The Teachings of a Double Doctrine

CHAPTER IV: THE SACRED SCRIPTURES

Mythology versus Religion; Too Much Light is Hurtful to the Eyes; The Three Oldest Religions; The Youngest Revelation; Josephus' Pretensions; The Fable of Moses; The Central American Giants; Pagan Gods; The Greater and Lesser Mysteries; The Measure of Time a Secret; The Keys to the Sacred Scriptures; The Pentateuch; The Word Era; The Christian Era; The Essenes; How the New Testament was Gotten Up; The Double Sense System; Origin of the Sacraments

CHAPTER V: TYPOLOGY AND SYMBOLOGY

The Seven Keys of Symbolism; Madame Blavatsky's Definitions; Two Great Symbologists; The First Sense; Onomatopoeia; Totemism; Religion's Origin in Awe; Evolution of Symbolism; What is God? The Circle; The Dance of the Tapirs; Votan's Circle; The Brahmanical Egg; The Circle and the Planets; Ezekiel's Wheel; The Masons' Mystic Chain; The Wedding Ring; The Decimal System; The Master Masons' Grip; Tne Ten Sephiroth; The Gnostics' Pleroma; The Pythagorean Decade; The Tetragrammaton. . .

CHAPTER VI: NUMBER 3 AND NUMBER 7

The Weather-gods; The Seven Elements; Masterpieces of Occultism; The Value of Names; The Number Par Excellence; Ragon's Definitions of the Triangle; Trinosophists; Kabalistic Trinity; Mythical Trinity; Starry Triangle; Natural Trinity; The Two Universes; Three Mystic Letters; Taking an Oath; The Nimbus or Glory; The Papal Blessing; Solomon's Seal; Microprosopus; Seven Letters; Seven Astronomically; The Seventh Day; Fiat Lux; The Seven Stars of Ursa Major; Moses and Number Seven; The Pleiades and the Atlantides; The Golden Calf; Seven Principles; Seven Kings of Edom; Niobe and Latona;
Apollo; Jehovah; The Music of the Spheres; Revelation ...

CHAPTER VII: THE DRAGON, THE SERPENT, AND THE CROSS

The Woman of Revelation and Latona; Lemuria and Atlantis. The "War in Heaven;" The North Pole and the South Pole; Survival of the Mythical Dragon in China; The Serpent of the Ophites; The Great Bear and the Little Bear; A-Draconis; The Unicorn; The National Arms of England; The Seven-Headed Dragon; The Beast of Revelation; Wisdom in Numbers; Three Letters S. S. S; Evolution in Symbology; The Virgin'with Her Babe; Origin of the Easter Eggs; Renewal-Votan, the Serpent; The Hole of a Snake; The Great Sea; The Tree of Knowledge; Chnouphis; The Modern Bracelet; The Brazen Serpent; The Astral Light; Duality in Man

CHAPTER VIII: THE SQUARE, THE TREE, AND THE MOUNT

The Father as the Tetrad; the Mother with Her Child; The Gnostic Square; The Four Beasts of Revelation; Ezekiel's Vision; The Four Evangelists; the Squaring of the Circle; Jehovah, the God of the Four Letters; the Tonsure of the Priests; The Tree of Paradise; The Clothing of Man; The Fall; Prometheus; The Secrets of the Kabala; The Quiche 1 Tree; The Dodecahedron; The Ark; The Tree as an Oracle; The Tree of the Prophets; The Gooseberry Bush; The Palm; Eating the Book; Drunkenness; Origin of the Christian Communion; The Mount; The Bad Woman of Hong Kong; Jacob's Pillar; The Phallus; Gabriel's Lily; The Christmas Tree

CHAPTER IX: THE CROSS

The Tau and the Astronomical Cross; Our Christmas Trees; The Cross as Natural Symbol; Nilometer; Quartering of Arms; Biblical References to the
Cross; The Four Corners of Revelation; An Initiation Ceremony Surviving in the Romish Church; The Southern Cross; The Lamb or Ram; The Fish, the Bull, and the Scorpion; The Balance or Scales and the Zodiak of Denderah; Two Catholic Festivals; Virgo; Two Christs; The Numerical Value of the Name Christ; The Sun and the Moon; Romish Blazonry; Creeping on all Fours; The Egg and the Cross; The Jews Borrowing from the Egyptians; The Svastica; The Masons' Gavel; The Stauros; The X; The Conversion of Constantine; The First Crucifix; The Gnostic Christ; The Initiation; The Immaculate Conception

CHAPTER X: SYMBOLICAL NUMBERS CONTINUED, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12.

The Pentagram and the Pentagon; The Five Limbs of a Man; Capricornius; Akasa; The Dual Priapus; Several Resurrection Myths; St. Paul's Symbolical Teachings; The Cherubims of Glory; The Hebrew Tabernacle; David's Dance; The Argha; The Holy Virgin Mary; The Nave of the Church; The Lingha and Yoni; The Lotus, The Letter M; Aquarius; The Hexagon; The Six Powers of Nature; Six-headed Gods; Leo; The Woman Sitting upon a Scarlet-colored Beast; The Beast Loses One Head; The Third Beast; The Ogdoad; The Caduceus; Melchizadek; Hermes; Nine Splendid Lights; Paradise According to the "Book of God;" The Dodecahedron; The Twelve Signs of the Zodiac; The Twelve Wonders of Hercules; Twelve Manner of Fruits; Number 13

CHAPTER XI: ANCIENT AND MODERN PHILOSOPHICAL SCHOOLS

The Greek Philosophers and the Gnostics; Epicureans; Academics; Stoics; Aristotelians; Platonists and Eclectics; Alexandria; Codices Alexandrini; St. Paul's Denunciations; The Monogram I. H. S. ; The Gnosis; Theosophy; Its Aim; Re-incarnation and the Law of Karma; The Original Sin; The Mysteries; Jesus Advocating the Doctrine of Reincarnation; Sinnett's Opinion; Madame Blavatsky's Theory; Dr. Anna Kingsford's Ideas on the Same Subject; How Karma is Generated; The Atonement for Sin; The Eye of Providence; What Regulates the Events of One's Life; A Doctrine with Double Meaning.

220 pages, 17.2 MB, PDF. Scan.





Joseph Dan - The Early Kabbalah





In the late twelfth century, at the height of the Middle Ages that saw the flowering of the mystical element in Christendom, the Rabbinic Judaism of southern Europe was transformed by the eruption of new, Gnostic attitudes and symbolism. This new movement, known as Kabbalah (literally the 'Tradition'), was characterized by the symbol of the ten sefirot. By means of the sefirotic imagery, virtually the whole of everyday life was linked to the cosmic dimension in a novel and highly original fashion that stressed the dynamic, evolutionary element of the Godhead and the synergistic relationship between the human will and the action of God on earth. During a century of creativity, a detailed system of symbols and concepts was created by the author of the Sefer ha-Bahir, the Kabbalists of Provence, the Iyyun circle, and the mystics of Provence and Castile that set the stage for the great Kabbalists of the Zohar generation.

209 pages, 7.48 MB, PDF. Scan.

The Templar Papers - Ancient Mysteries, Secret Societies, And the Holy Grail





Much has been written about the group of 14th-century warrior monks known as the Knights Templar. Some authors, such as Dan Brown in The Da Vinci Code, portray them as folk heroes wrongly accused. Others disagree, saying the Templar story is ultimately one of greed, deception, and idolatry. Just who were the Knights Templar? And what is their legacy? In The Templar Papers, historian Oddvar Olsen has assembled a veritable Who's Who of experts to unravel the mystery. Instead of rehashing previous scholarship, this book delves into new aspects of Templar lore, such as the origins of the order an its supposed survival after 1314. The Templar Papers offers the inquisitive reader several lifetimes of research and insight. This is a distinctive and truly unique compilation that will stimulate your mind and settle the controversy.

257 pages, 5.12 MB, PDF.





Colin Low - A Depth of Beginning, Notes on Kabbalah





154 pages, 1.86 MB, PDF.





Colin Low - The Qabalah

106 pages, 260 KB, PDF.





Moshe Idel - Kabbalah, Pythagorean Philosophy and Modern Scholarship

26 pages, 201 KB, PDF. Scan.





Don Karr - The Study of Christian Kabbalah in English

43 pages, 526 KB, PDF.





John Selby - Key Figures in Twentieth Century Esoteric Kabbalah

12 pages, 947 KB, PDF.





Charles Morris Addison - The Theory and Practice of Mysticism





The lectures which form the substance of this volume were written at the request of the Faculty of the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge and were delivered there in May, 1915. They were given also, in November of the same year, at the Theological Department of the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee. They were not written for publication but for intimate conferences with younger ministers and young men studying for the ministry. This will explain their familiar character.

Contents:

I. The Longing for God and Its Implications
II. The Way Toward God
III. The Meeting Point
IV. St. Francis of Assisi, Heinrich Suso and Mother Julian of Norwich
V. Modern Mysticism
VI. Practical Mysticism

238 pages, 8.13 MB, PDF. Scan.





Samuel B. Slacker - Early Christianity (30-300 AD)








120 pages, 3.98 MB, PDF. Scan.

Thomas Taylor - Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries





These mysteries once represented the spiritual life of Greece, and were considered for 2,000 years the appointed means for regeneration through an interior union with the Divine Essence. Details on the secret mysteries of the Adytums of ancient Greece. Annotated by Dr. Alex Wilder. Appendix, glossary.

272 pages, 22.7 MB, PDF. Scan.





Birch Fett - An Indepth Investigation of the Divine Ratio

19 pages, 208 KB, PDF.





Matt Fuller - Geometry, Set in Stone

12 pages, 234 KB, PDF.





Gnostic Science of Alchemy

55 pages, 481 KB, PDF.





A. B. Sharpe - Mysticism: Its True Nature and Value





With a translation of the "Mystical Theology" of Dionysius and of the letters to Caius and Dorotheus. Contents: two ideas of mysticism; supernatural mysticism; nature of mystical experience; object of mystical knowledge; psychology of mysticism; evil; immanence and transcendence; Plotinus; heretical mystics; mysticism, philosophy and religion; Dionysius.

308 pages, 14.1 MB, PDF. Scan.





Dr. E. Lehman - Mysticism in Heathendom and Christendom






312 pages, 10.5 MB, PDF. Scan.

Ken L. Wheeler - Pythagoras, Plato and the Golden Ratio

24 pages, 2.01 MB, PDF. Scan.





A.E. Waite - Unknown Philosopher: The Life of Louis Claude de St. Martin and the Substance of His Transcendental Doctrine





St. Martin (1743-1803) believed that the most important problem of all human thinking is to understand man as as free personality, whose very foundation is himself. Contents: The Life of St. Martin; Sources of Martinistic Doctrines; The Nature and State of Man; The Doctrine of the Repairer; The Way of Integration; Minor Sources of St. Martin; The Mystical Philosophy of Numbers; Prayers of St. Martin; Bibliography; Martinism and the Masonic Rites of Swedenborg. St. Martin was the successor to Jacob Boehme - an important mystic in the history light.

472 pages, 20.5 MB, PDF. Scan.





William Kingsland - Anthology of Mysticism and Mystical Philosophy





Partial Contents: Absolute Being; Adam; Nature and Method of Attainment; Consciousness; Cause and Effect; Christ in You; Contemplation; Cyclic Law; After-Death States; Evolution; Eternity; Emanation; Free Will; Fate; God and Godhead; Good and Evil; The Ancient Gnosis; Heaven and Hell; Intellect; Intuition; Initiation; The Infinite; Knowledge; Love; Logos or Word; Mind; Matter and Substance; Materialism; Manifestation; Mysticism and Mind; Myths; Nature; Personality; Planetary Spheres; Reason; Reality; Religion; Reincarnation; Self-Knowledge; The One Self; Soul, Nature; Soul and Cosmos; Sin; Space; Time and Space; Doctrine of the Trinity; Mystical Union; The Mystical Virgin; Visions; Nature of Will in God and Man; Wisdom in Man.

338 pages, 12.3 MB, PDF. Scan.




E.S. Drower - The Secret Adam







117 pages, 3.19 MB, PDF. Scan.





Thomas Inman - Ancient Pagan and Modern Christian Symbolism with an Essay on Baal Worship, on the Assyrian Sacred Grove and other Allied Symbols





1884. Christians feel that they have a divine monopoly on truth. They do not. This book irrefutably shows how much of Christianity's symbols are from far earlier "pagan" sources. This book does not disparage Christianity but provides a connecting link for what has been a continuous source of symbolic knowledge handed down to us from the ancients. Numerous illustrations.

228 pages, 18.3 MB, PDF. Scan.

Aug C. L. Arnold - The Rationale and Ethics of Freemasonry








The Masonic Institutions Considered as a Means of Social and Individual Progress. Contents: Ideal of the Masonic Society; Freemasonry of the Pyramids; Masonic Institution in Thrace - Orpheus; Hellenic Freemasonry; Freemasonry of Pythagoras; Odinic Freemasonry; Masonic Form of the First Christian Church; Essenean Freemasonry; Ancient Syrian Freemasonry; General Review of the Ancient Rite; Templar Masonry; Ancient Craft Masonry; Progress of Freemasonry Providential; Masonic Principle Eternal; Institution Based on Christianity; Freemasonry the Handmaid of Christianity; Masonic Charity and Moral Influence; Adaptation of Freemasonry to the Wants and Circumstances of Young Men; Philosophy of Mystery; Philosophy of Symbols and Signs; Lesson of Initiation; Obligations; Masonic Duty of Charity; Qualifications for Membership.

309 pages, 4.99 MB, PDF. Scan.





Lodgeroom International Masonic Magazine





35 volumes, 58.3 MB, PDF.





Masonic Articles (both exoteric and esoteric contents):

110 PDFs, 16.9 MB.

Franz Cumont - After Life in Roman Paganism





According to a rite borrowed by the Romans from the Etruscans, a pit was dug in the centre of the city, when the latter's foundations were laid, in order to make the Inferi communicate with the upper world. First fruits and other gifts were thrown into the pit, as well as a clod of the earth of the settlers' native country. Thus they restored their broken contact with the Manes of their ancestors. -from "The Nether World" Franz Cumont was one of the preeminent classical scholars of his day, and his investigations into the history of religion had a dramatic impact upon the fields of archaeology, comparative mythology, and anthropology. This 1922 volume collects the influential series of lectures he delivered at Yale University highlighting one aspect of his groundbreaking studies of Roman paganism: the Romans' view of the afterlife. Cumont discusses the Romans' attitudes about the importance of the tomb, the distinctions they made between a "shade" and a "soul," the rules of admittance to Hades and the Elysian Fields, the supernatural journeys of the dead, the ancient roots of the Romans' beliefs and practices, and much more. With solid research behind him, Cumont's reassuring erudition righted inaccuracies about Roman religion that had lingered, particularly in the writings of Christian apologists, and this continues to be a fundamental work of Roman paganism today. Belgian archaeologist and historian FRANZ-VALERY-MARIE CUMONT (1869-1947) wrote numerous books, among them Texts and Illustrated Monuments Relating to the Mysteries of Mithra (1900), considered his masterwork.

256 pages, 19.1 MB, PDF. Scan.





Manly P. Hall - Reincarnation, the Cycle of Necessity





Among the subjects discussed are reincarnation in Oriental, Greek, and American Indian systems of thought; the theory as set forth in the Old and New Testaments and interpreted by early Christian Fathers; the rebirth of animals, plants, and minerals; the idea of soul-mates; the memory of past lives; and the fate of the suicide. An extensive bibliography is included.

116 pages, 62.2 MB, PDF. Scan.





The YHVH Astrological Mandala (Expanded Edition)

24 pages, 283 KB, PDF.





Frances A. Yates - The Occult Philosophy in the Elizabethan Age





It is hard to overestimate the importance of the contribution made by Dame Frances Yates to the serious study of esotericism and the occult sciences. The Occult Philosophy of the Elizabethan Age was her last book, and in it she condensed many aspects of her wide learning to present a clear, penetrating, and, above all, accessible survey of the occult movements of the Renaissance, highlighting the work of John Dee, Giordano Bruno, and other key esoteric figures.

284 pages, 5.73 MB, PDF.





Desiderio Valacco - Mystical Philosopers





1. MYSTICAL PHILOSOPHERS OF THE ANTIQUITY

1.1. ZOROASTRIAN RELIGION
1.1.1 Zarathustra – Mystical Prophet of the Ancient Persia

1.2. GREEK AND HELLENIC PHILOSOPHY OF THE ANTIQUITY

1.2.1. Orpheus and Pythagoras – The First Mystical Philosophers on the European Soil
1.2.2. Pre-Socratics, Socrates and Plato
1.2.3. Religious Mysticism of the Stoic Cleanthes
1.2.4. Representative of the Stoic Monism Posidonius
1.2.5. Miracle-worker Apollonius of Tyana
1.2.6. Plutarch's Isis and Osiris
1.2.7. Plotinus – The Greatest Pagan Hellenic Philosopher
1.2.8. The Enigmatic Hermes Trismegistus
1.2.9. Iamblichus' Theurgy and Julian's Apostacy
1.2.10. Proclus 'the Successor' and the end of the Academy

1.3. ROMAN PHILOSOPHY OF THE ANTIQUITY

1.3.1. Roman Stoics
1.3.2. Apuleus' Asinus Aureus

1.4. CHRISTIANITY

1.4.1. The First Christian Philosopher Justin
1.4.2. Christian Catechetic School in Alexandria
1.4.3. Gregory's 'Mysticism of Light'
1.4.4. Mysterious Figure of Pseudo-Dionysius Areopagite

1.5. HEBREW RELIGION

1.5.1. Allegoric Interpretation of the Holy Scripts by Philo of Alexandria

1.6. HINDUISM

1.6.1. Patanjali's Yoga-Sutras

1.7. BUDDHISM (INDIAN)

1.7.1. The Enlightened One – Gauthama Buddha
1.7.2. Vajra-Yana Buddhism
1.7.3. Teaching on Emptiness of the Philosopher Nagarjuna
1.7.4. Asanga – the Founder of Yogacara.

1.8. TAOISM

1.8.1. The Founder of Taoism Lao-Tse
1.8.2. Transcendentalism of Chuang-Tzu
1.8.3. The 'Dark Teaching' of Taoist Wang Pi

1.9. CONFUCIANISM

1.9.1. Confucius – The Harmony of the Cosmic and Social Order
1.9.2. The Continuators of Confucious' Work Mencius and Hsun-Tse

2. MYSTICAL PHILOSOPHERS OF THE MIDDLE AGES

2.1. CHRISTIANITY

2.1.1. Maximus the Confessor
2.1.2. Eriugena, the Philosopher of the Carolingian Renaissance
2.1.3. Byzantine Polyhistor Michael Psellus
2.1.4. St. Victor – Center of European Mystical Philosophy
2.1.5. Mysticism of the Knights Templar
2.1.6. Albertus Magnus and Roger Bacon – Pioneers of the Experimental Method
2.1.7. Bonaventura's Itinerary of Path to God
2.1.8. 'Doctor Illuminatis' Ramon Lull
2.1.9. Rhineland Mysticism of Eckhart and Tauler
2.1.10. Plethon – Restorer of Platonism in the West
2.1.11. 'Learned Ignorance' of Nicolas of Cues
2.1.12. Florentine Academy
2.1.13. German Mystical Philosophy of 16th Century
2.1.15. John Dee's Communication with Angels
2.1.16. Patrizi's Love Philosophy
2.1.17. Della Porta and Bruno – Two Naples' Great Men

2.2. ISLAM

2.2.1. Spreading of Islam, Sufism and Geber
2.2.2. 'Mamun's Renaissance' and Thabit ibn Qurra
2.2.3. Al-Farabi, the Founder of Islamic Neo-Platonism
2.2.4. 'Picatrix' or 'Aim of the Wise'
2.2.5. Avicenna – Prince of Philosophers and Physicians
2.2.6. Sufi Convert al-Ghazali
2.2.7. Assasins – the Counterpart to Templar's Order
2.2.8. Ecumenical Mysticism of Ibn al-Arabi
2.2.9. Rumi – Founder of the Order of 'Spinning Dervishes'

2.3. HEBREW RELIGION

2.3.1. Interpretation of Sefer Jetzirah by Saadia Ben Joseph
2.3.2. Mystical Poet Solomon ibn Gabirol
2.3.3. Moses de Leon and Zohar
2.3.4. 'Divine Rabbi' Isaac Luria

2.4. HINDUISM

2.4.1. Shankara – Jesus of Hinduism?
2.4.2. Moderate Monist Ramanuja
2.4.3. Madhva's Dualism
2.4.4. Caitanya, the Founder of Krishna Bhakti Movement

2.5. TIBETAN BUDDHISM

2.5.1. Reformer of Tibethan Buddhism Tsong Kha-pa

2.6. FAITH OF SIKH

2.6.1. Mysticism of Sikh Faith

2.7. CONFUCIANISM

2.7.1. Cosmic Hierarchy of Chang-Tsai
2.7.2. Neo-Confucian Chu Hsi
2.7.3. The Great Learning of Wang Yang-ming

2.8. CHAN BUDDHISM (CHINESE)

2.8.1. The Sixth Patriarch of Chan Buddhism Hui Neng

2.9. ZEN BUDDHISM (JAPANESE)

2.9.1. Japanese Mystical Philosopher Kukai
2.9.2. 'Pure Land' of Honen and Rinzai of Eisai
2.9.3. Soto Teaching of Dogen and Lotus School of Nichiren

3. MYSTICAL PHILOSOPHERS OF THE MODERN AGE

3.1. CHRISTIANITY

3.1.1. Mystical Theology of Shoemaker Boehme
3.1.2. Cambridge Platonist Henry More
3.1.3. Converted Scientist Blaise Pascal
3.1.4. Occasionalists Geulincx and Malebranche
3.1.5. Philosopher – Clairvoyant Emanuel Swedenborg
3.1.6. Mystical Ideologist of Romanticism Franz von Baader
3.1.7. Two French Mystical Philosophers
3.1.8. Mysticism of Writers Carlyle and Emerson
3.1.9. Eliphas Levi – Continuator of the Teaching of Agrippa and Paracelsus
3.1.10. Pioneer of the New Thought Prentice Mulford
3.1.11. Psychology of Dreams of Carl du Prel
3.1.12. Two Russian Christian Philosophers
3.1.13. Sufi Convert Rene Guenon and his Followers

3.2. ISLAM

3.2.1. Modern Sufis

3.3. HEBREW RELIGION

3.3.1. Baal Shem Tov and Hasidism
3.3.2. New Hasidism of Martin Buber

3.4. HINDUISM

3.4.1. The Pioneer of Neo-Hindu Movement Ram Mohum Roy
3.4.2. Ramakrishna's Ecumenism and Veneration of Divine Mother
3.4.3. Three Great Men of Neo-Hinduism from Calcutta
3.4.4. Father of Modern India Mahatma Gandhi
3.4.5. Society for the Consciousness of Krishna Srila Prabhupada
3.4.6. Transcendental Meditation of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
3.4.7. Sathya Sai Baba – the Avatar of the New Age?

3.5. BUDDHISM (INDIAN)

3.5.1. Osho – Enlightenment by Love, Meditation and
Laughter

3.6. ZEN BUDDHISM (JAPANESE)

3.6.1. Hakuin – Great Man of Modern Age Zen-Buddhism
3.6.2. D.T. Suzuki – Promoter of Zen Buddhism in the West

4. NEW RELIGIONS

4.1. BAHAI RELIGION

4.1.1. Bahaullah – Fulfillment of Messianic Expectations?

4.2. SCIENTOLOGY

4.2.1. Scientology Church of L. Ron Hubbard

5. SECRET SOCIETIES OF THE MODERN AGE

5.1. ROSICRUCIAN SOCIETY

5.2. FREEMASONRY

5.2.1. Mystical Philosophy of Freemasonry
5.2.2. 'Le nouvel homme' of Louis de Saint-Martin
5.2.3. Literary-Scientific Mysticism of Goethe

5.3. THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

5.3.1. Theosophical Society
5.3.2. Offshoots of Theosophical Society – Antroposophical Society,
Rosicrucian Fellowship, the Arcane School and Krishnamurti

5.4. GOLDEN DAWN

5.4.1. Golden Dawn
5.4.2. Offshoots of Golden Dawn – Ordo Templis Orientis, Society of the
Inner Light and Israel Regardie

5.5. PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH SOCIETY

5.5.1. Manly P. Hall's Secret Teaching of all Ages

6. NEW SCIENCE AND MYSTICISM

6.1. HOLISTIC SCIENCE

6.1.1. Scientific-Mystical Philosophy of Holism

5.1.1. Robert Fludd and Rosicrucian Brotherhood


281 pages, 1.41 MB, PDF.

J.D. Buck - The Lost Word Found in the Great Work



1909. Freemasons have been searching centuries for the "Lost Word." In this small but essential work, J. D. Buck, a 330 Mason, clearly reveals what the word is and what it means.

74 pages, 2.07 MB, PDF. Scan.





William Rowbottom - The Origin of Masonic Ritual & Tradition as Manifested by the Geometrical Design and Symbolism





105 pages, 1.75 MB, PDF. Scan.






Ritual of the A. & A. Egyptian Rite of Memphis



In the following few pages of preface, illustrious Knights will find the account of the ancient Egyptian mysteries as given by that erudite Mason, Albert G. Mackey, in his Lexicon of Free Masonry; every sentence of which gives proofs of the existence of Masonry in Egypt. If more evidence were needed we have only to refer Illustrious Knights to such eminent writers as Olivier Pluche, Herodotus, &c., to convince them, beyond reasonable doubt, that if Egypt was not the cradle of Masonry, the Order, at any rate, at one time flourished and held sway amid the magnificent temples and pyramids of the land of the Pharaohs. The following is the account referred to above

„Egypt was the cradle of all the mysteries of paganism. At one time in possession of all the learning and religion that was to be found in the world, it extended into other nations the influence of its sacred rites and its secret doctrines.“

„The principal seat of the mysteries was at Memphis in the neighbourhood of the great Pyramid. They were of two kinds, the greater and the lesser; the former being the mysteries of Osiris and Serapis, the latter those of Isis. The mysteries of Osiris were celebrated at the autumnal equinox, those of Serapis at the summer solstice, and those of Isis, at the vernal
equinox.“

In the following pages are given the exoteric work of five of the Degrees of a Rose Croix Chapter, Discreet Master, the Fourth Degree; Sublime Master, Sixth Degree; the Royal Arch, Thirteenth Degree; the Secret Vault, the Fourteenth Degree; and the Rose Croix, Eighteenth Degree.

229 pages, 15.7 MB, PDF. Scan.





Harrington's Desideratum for the Age, a Masonic Work: Wherein the First Principles Which Constitute Nature Are Explained, as Well as Certain Other Natural Phenomena



215 pages, 2.82 MB, PDF. Scan.





George F. Fort - Early History and Antiquities of Freemasonry





1884. As Connected with Ancient Norse Guilds and the Oriental and Medieval Building Fraternities to which is Added The Legend of Prince Edward.

523 pages, 16.8 MB, PDF. Scan.

John Blanchard - Scotch Rite Masonry Illustrated, The Complete Ritual of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite



With a Historical Sketch of the Order, Introduction and Critical Analysis of Each Degree. Over four hundred quotations from standard Masonic authorities confirm the accuracy of the ritual and show the characters of Masonic Teaching and Doctrine. Completely reveals in exact detail the ritual, signs, grips and secret work of the 4th through the 32nd degrees.

Volume I:

243 pages, 14.8 MB, PDF. Scan.



Volume II:

277 pages, 17.3 MB, PDF. Scan.





Edgar Russell - Thoughts Inspired by the Scottish Rite Degrees



A positive commentary on aspects of the first through thirty second degrees. The author has some good comments and while written almost 90 years ago, can be applied today to the reader's Masonic life.

From foreword:

„The purpose of the writer has been to stimulate interest in the study of Masonry, the progressive moral science; that science which consists in those collected and classified facts in human experience, upon which each individual may formulate his own philosophy of life and conduct, for religious guidance in the life that now is, in order that he may fit himself for the life that is to be, in which life he hopes to become a Son of God.“

199 pages, 2,45 MB, PDF. Scan.





Freemason's Guide to the Symbolic Degrees



The description of blue lodge degrees (first three) accompanied by numerous illustrations.

93 pages, 9.28 MB, PDF. Scan.





The Text Book of Advanced Freemasonry



Containing for the Instruction of the Candidates, the Complete Rituals of the Higher Degrees, viz., Royal Ark Mariners, Mark Master, Royal Arch, Red Cross of Rome and Constantine, and Perfect Prince Mason, Knights Templar and Rose Croix; and also Monitorial Instructions in the 30th to 33rd and Last Degree of Freemasonry. Commenting on the accuracy of this book in his recent history of the Ancient and Accepted (Scottish) Rite, ROSE CROIX (1987), Brigadier A.C.F. Jackson noted, "About 1870, or possibly earlier, the Supreme Council issued each Chapter with a hand-written ritual.... THE TEXT BOOK OF ADVANCED FREEMASONRY, 1873, may have been plagiarized from the official manuscripts referred to above." The Rose Croix ritual in this book convinced A.E. Waite that high-grade Freemasonry is related to Rosicrucianism.

294 pages, 3.23 MB, PDF. Scan.





George Oliver - The Origin of the English Royal Arch Degree



1867. Royal Arch Order of Masonry historically considered; including an explanatory view of its primitive rituals, doctrines, and symbols, and of their progressive improvements to the present time. Includes a memoir of the author.

280 pages, 4.15 MB, PDF. Scan.





The Freemason's Treasury, 52 Short Lectures



If you like Oliver, you will love this book. He takes 18 pages for his introductory remarks and the rest of the book is made up of 52 of his lessons on Masonic themes.

405 pages, 9.54 MB, PDF. Scan.





Henry Atwood - The Master Workman or True Masonic Guide



A general overview of all the Blue Lodge, Scottish Rite and Royal Arch degrees. Some good woodcuts included in this book.

441 pages, 5.13 MB, PDF. Scan.





Charles T. McClenechan - Book of the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry



Contents:

Proem.
Classification of Degrees.
History.
Triple Triangle, Emblematic.

Introduction, FIRST & SECOND SERIES - The Ineffable Degrees.

4th Degree: Secret Master.
5th Degree: Perfect Master.
6th Degree: Intimate Secretary.
7th Degree: Provest and Judge.
8th Degree: Intendant of the Buildings.
9th Degree: Knights Elect of Nine.
10th Degree: Knights Elect of Fifteen.
11th Degree: Sublime Knights Elected.
12th Degree: Grand Master Architect.
13th Degree: Royal Arch of Enoch (or Knights of The Ninth Arch).
14th Degree: Grand, Elect, Perfect and Sublime Mason.

THIRD SERIES - The Historical Degrees.

Prefatory.
15th Degree: Knight of the East (or Sword).
16th Degree: Prince of Jerusalem.

FOURTH SERIES - The Philosophical Degrees.

Prefatory.
17th Degree: Knights of the East and West.
18th Degree: Knight of the Rose Croix (Perfect Prince De H-R-D-M, Knight of the Eagle and Pelican).

FIFTH SERIES - The Historical and Philosophical Degrees.

Prefatory.

20th Degree: Grand Master of All Symbolic Lodges (or Master Ad Vitam).
21st Degree: Noachite (or Prussian Knight).
22nd Degree: Knight of The Royal Axe (or Prince of Libanus).
23rd Degree: Chief of The Tabernacle.
24th Degree: Prince of The Tabernacle.
25th Degree: Knight of The Brazen Serpent.
26th Degree: Prince of Mercy (or Scottish Trinitarian).
27th Degree: Knight Commander of The Temple.
28th Degree: Knight of The Sun (or Prince Adept).
29th Degree: Knight of St. Andrew (or Patriarch of The Crusades).

SIXTH SERIES - The Chivalric Degrees.

Prefatory.
30th Degree: Knight Kadosh.
31st Degree: Grand Inspector Inquistor Commander.
32nd Degree: Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret.

SUPREME COUNCIL

Prefatory.
33rd Degree: Sovereign Grand Inspector-General.
Appendix to Statutes of 1786.

SUBORDINATE BODIES

Ceremony of Inauguration & Constitution of a Lodge Of Perfection.
Ceremonial Degree at the Installation of Officers of the Lodge of Perfection.
Ceremony of Installation of a Lodge of Perfection.
Constitution & Installation of a Council of Princes of Jerusalem.
Installation of Officers of a Sovereign Chapter Rose-Croix.
Inauguration & Installation of a Consistory of Sublime Princes and Commanders of The Royal Secret.
Ceremony of Baptism in the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite.
Grand Visitations - Honors due, etc...
Forms of Reflection, commonly termed Feasts or Banquets.
Statutes for the Government of all Tribunals of the 31st Degree.
Ceremonial for a Lodge of Sorrow.
Forms of Petition for Membership and Application for Dispensation or Warrant.
Hebrew Calender.

647 pages, 14.6 MB, PDF. Scan.





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R.A. Gilbert - Chaos out of Order - the Rise and Fall of the Swedenborgian Rite

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Thomas Sargant - The Freemason's manual



The Freemason's manual: contining the first, second and third degrees of freemasonry, embellished with symbolical illustrations, together with installation, consecration and dedication ceremonies, etc. : also, rules and regulations for masonic trials, forms for minutes, by-laws, &c.

273 pages, 14.7 MB, PDF. Scan.





George Oliver - Symbol of Glory Showing the Object and End of Freemasonry



Essays on the symbols of Freemasonry. Sample contents: Valedictory address; On the present state of the Masonic Science; On the poetry and philosophy of Masonry; On the doctrines contained in the Lodge lectures; Twelve definitions of the circle and parallel lines considered; Three great lights at the foot of the Masonic ladder explained, with a description of the ladder and its accompaniments; On the theological virtues and their application to Freemasonry; Inquiry into the true Masonic reference of the Blazing Star; General import of the Symbol of Glory.

414 pages, 8.57 MB, PDF. Scan.





The Perfect Ceremonies of the Masonic Knights Templar, Knight of Malta, Mediterranean Pass and Rose Croix de Heredom



205 pages, 2.11 MB, PDF. Scan.





T. A. Howard - Fundamental Principles of Freemasonry



35 pages, 1.67 MB, PDF. Scan.





The Masonic Instructor



Comprising the first, second and third degrees of freemasonry, embellished with symbolical illustrations and the tracing boards of the three degrees, also royal arch degree : adapted for the Dominion of Canada.

67 pages, 3.45 MB, PDF. Scan.





Robert Catlin Wright - Indian Masonry



Throughout the world we find amazing similarities between other peoples who use Masonic rituals and symbols. This book reveals the American Indian's use of Freemasonry. Contents: Brotherhood; Signs; Medicines; Beliefs and Ceremonies; The Number 4; Ojibwa Grand Medicine Lodge; Esoteric Societies of the Zuni; Comparisons; Pin Indians; Lessons; Epilogue. Illustrated.

147 pages, 1.82 MB, PDF. Scan.





Alexander Slade - The Free Mason Examin'd (1758)



An Authentick Account of all the Secrets of the Antient Society of Free-Mason s which have been handed down by' Oral Tradition only', from the Institution, to the present Time.

32 pages, 1.34 MB, PDF. Scan.





Arthur C. Parker - American Indian Freemasonry



"Beautiful thy meditations
In thy consecrated forests,
Fragrant in their odorous incense
When, though groping in the darkness,
Thou wert lifted up and strengthened,
In thy earnest firm endeavor,
Nearer drawn to one Great Spirit
In thy ardor of devotion!
Converse."

44 pages, 4.26 MB, PDF. Scan.





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Jonathan Ashe - The Masonic Manual or Lectures on Freemasonry



1843. Or lectures on Freemasonry: containing the instructions, documents and discipline, of the Masonic economy, with annotations and remarks. This volume is a manual to supply a summary of the principles and duties of the Brotherhood for lodges and individuals.

369 pages, 6.41 MB, PDF. Scan.





Paschal Donaldson - The Masonic Offering a Gift For All Seasons



1854. The editors of this volume have attempted to furnish a cluster of literature from the field of thought and feeling cultivated under the broad sheen of their cherished institutions, that shall be agreeable to the taste of the Masonic fraternity.

373 pages, 9.08 MB, PDF. Scan.





Leader Scott - The Cathedral Builders, The Story of a Great Masonic Guild



"With the breaking up of the College of Architects and their expulsion from Rome, we come upon a period in which it is hard to follow their path. Happily the task has been made less baffling by recent research, and if we are unable to trace them all the way much light has been let into the darkness. Hitherto there has been a hiatus also in the history of architecture between the classic art of Rome, which is said to have died when the empire fell to pieces, and the rise of Gothic art. Just so, in the story the builders one finds a gap of like length, between the Collegia of Rome and the cathedral artists. While the gap cannot, as yet be perfectly bridged, much has been done to that end by Leader Scott in The Cathedral Builders; The Story of a Great Masonic Guild - a book itself a work of art as well as of fine scholarship. Her thesis is that the missing link is to be found in the Magistri Comacini, a guild of architects who, on the break-up of the Roman Empire, fled to Comacina, a fortified island in Lake Como, and there kept alive the traditions of classic art during the Dark Ages; that from them were developed in direct descent the various styles of Italian architecture; and that, finally, they carried the knowledge and practice of architecture and sculpture into France, Spain, Germany and England. Such a thesis is difficult, and from its nature not susceptible of absolute proof, but the writer makes it as certain as anything can well be." Bro Joseph Fort Newton

630 pages, 21.6 MB, PDF. Scan.





Charles Whitlock Moore - The New Masonic Trestle-Board



1860. Partial Contents: Part One: Apron, Architecture; Arithmetic; Astronomy; Addresses; Badge of a Mason; Benediction; Candidates; Ceremonial Illustrations; Charges at Opening, Initiation; Closing; Common Gavel; Corner Stones; Emblems; Funeral Ceremonies; Geometry; Jewels; Lamb Skin; Ornaments; Plumb Line; Prayers; Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences; Second Degree; Third Degree; Trowel. Part II: The Degree of Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent Master; Royal Arch, Select Master; Installation of Councils; Order of High-Priesthood; Consecration and Dedication of Chapters; Encampment Orders; Knights of the Red Cross; Knights Templars, Knights of Malta.

233 pages, 8.21 MB, PDF. Scan.

Robert W. Billings - Architectural Illustrations and Account of the Temple Church (1838)



Table of Contents:

Essay on the symbolic evidences of the Temple church. Were the Templars gnostic idolators as alleged? / by Edward Clarkson.
Historical account of the Temple church.
Description of the Temple church.
Description of the plates.

143 pages, 14.3 MB, PDF. Scan.





Augustus C.L. Arnold - Philosophical History of Free-masonry and Other Secret Societies



1854. The secret societies of all ages considered in their relations with and influence on, the moral, social and intellectual progress of man. Through them came the new revelations of life, which contributed to the progress of Humanity. Contents: Importance of this History; Providential Character of these Institutions; Egyptian Mysteries; Secret Institution of Orpheus; Initiation at Eleusis; Secret Order of Pythagoras; Templars; Freemasonry; Second Period of Masonic History; Present Position of the Order; Christianity and Freemasonry; Thomas Paine's Essay on Freemasonry, with Comments.

291 pages, 6.58 MB, PDF. Scan.





George Oliver - A Dictionary of Symbolic Masonry



1853. Including the Royal Arch Degree, according to the system prescribed by the Grand Lodge and Supreme Grand Chapter of England, compiled from the best Masonic sources. The definitions have been studiously contracted into as brief a space as possible in order to increase the number of words, and to make the book more generally useful. It contains a summary view of the whole system of Blue Masonry, by a careful condensation of all that has ever been written on the subject.

417 pages, 10 MB, PDF. Scan.





John R. Robertson - The Cryptic Rite



History Of The Degrees Of Royal, Select, And Super-Excellent Master; The Work Of The Rite In Canada, With A History Of The Various Grand Councils That Have Existed From The Inception Of The Rite In Canada Till The Present Time. And The History Of All Grand Councils In The United States, With Historical Memoranda Concerning The Rite.

271 pages, 18.1 MB, PDF. Scan.





Thomas Sargant - The Royal Arch Companion



1880. A manual of royal arch masonry: containing monitorial instructions in the degrees of Mark master, Past master, Most excellent master, and Royal arch ; with illustrations ; together with the ceremonies of constituting and dedicating chapters and installing officers, forms for minutes, by-laws and grandchapter returns.

191 pages, 5.19 MB, PDF. Scan.





From FREEMASONRY 4shared folder:

Shaul Magid - From Metaphysics to Midrash-Myth, History and the Interpretation of Scripture in Lurianic Kabbala



In From Metaphysics to Midrash, Shaul Magid explores the exegetical tradition of Isaac Luria and his followers within the historical context in 16th-century Safed, a unique community that brought practitioners of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam into close contact with one another. Luria's scripture became a theater in which kabbalists redrew boundaries of difference in areas of ethnicity, gender, and the human relation to the divine. Magid investigates how cultural influences altered scriptural exegesis of Lurianic Kabbala in its philosophical, hermeneutical, and historical perspectives. He suggests that Luria and his followers were far from cloistered. They used their considerable skills to weigh in on important matters of the day, offering, at times, some surprising solutions to perennial theological problems.

369 pages, 6.09 MB, PDF.





Pinchas Giller - Reading the Zohar



Comprising well over a thousand pages of densely written Aramaic, the compilation of texts known as the Zohar represents the collective wisdom of various strands of Jewish mysticism, or kabbalah, up to the thirteenth century. This massive work continues to provide the foundation of much Jewish mystical thought and practice to the present day. In this book, Pinchas Giller examines certaing sections of the Zohar and the ways in which the central doctrines of classical kabbalah took shape around them.

265 pages, 26.4 MB, PDF. Scan.





Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto - Secrets of the Future Temple



by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, translated by Avraham Greenbaum. The inner meaning and purpose of the Future Temple as prophesied by Ezekiel are explained in this translation of Mishkney Elyon, crowning jewel in the legacy of towering 18th century mystical genius, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto ("Ramchal", 1707-47). Includes clear explanatory overview, diagrams of the Temple and Altar and other study aids. "The Temple is the center point where all the branches of the Tree of Life connect with their roots, channeling a flow of sustenance and blessing to the entire world.

Contents:

Kabbalistic secrets of creation in the Temple structure
Divine Names create spatial reality
Meaning of the Temple layout
The roots and branches of the Tree of Life

118 pages, 1.47 MB, PDF.





Gershom Scholem - The Curious History of the Six-Pointed Star

9 pages, 182 KB, PDF.





Eliyahu Rosh Pinnah - The Sepher Yetzirah and the Original Tetragrammaton

15 pages, 319 KB, PDF.




From KABBALAH folder:

Philip Ball - Universe of Stone: A Biography of Chartres Cathedral



In this lively biography of Chartres Cathedral, Ball explores the configuration of cultural and technological factors that enabled Europe to achieve a "liberation from gravity" in the twelfth century, including the rise of scholasticism, Platonic obsessions with light and proportion, and heroic masons who "turned geometry into stone." The accomplishments of Gothic architecture were all the more remarkable given that stonework was virtually forgotten in the West in the centuries after Rome fell. Though much of the history of Chartres Cathedral remains opaque, Ball’s account of its construction reveals fascinating details (such as the origins of its blue glass, likely scavenged from Roman or Byzantine sites) and evokes its raison d’être: in an era when architecture "existed to reveal the deep design of God’s creation," Chartres "encoded a set of symbols and relationships that mapped out the universe itself."

"Anyone who has been thrilled by the great Gothic cathedrals will revel in this study of both the spiritual and architectural qualities of those medieval wonders. Ball’s passion, sharp critical mind and fluid prose open a window onto the remote, alien world we call the Middle Ages." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

355 pages, 7.89 MB, PDF.





Samael Aun Weor - Authentic Christmas' Symbolism

21 pages, 342 KB, PDF.




Samael Aun Weor - Analysis of Human Psyche

17 pages, 233 KB, PDF.




Samael Aun Weor - Chaotic Consciousness and Intelligent Consciousness

14 pages, 232 KB, PDF.





Stanton Marlan - The Black Sun: The Alchemy and Art of Darkness



The black sun, an ages-old image of the darkness in individual lives and in life itself, has not been treated hospitably in the modern world. Although modern psychology has seen darkness primarily as a negative force, it actually has an intrinsic importance to the human psyche. In this book, Jungian analyst Stanton Marlan reexamines the paradoxical image of the black sun and the meaning of darkness in Western culture. Marlan draws on not only clinical cases, but also literature such as Goethe's Faust and Dante's Inferno, the black art of Rothko and Reinhardt, and other inspirations to explore the influence of light and shadow on the fundamental structures of modern thought as well as the contemporary practice of analysis. He shows that the black sun accompanies not only the most negative of psychic experiences but also the most sublime. The Black Sun offers insight into modernity, the act of imagination, and the work of analysis in understanding depression, trauma, and transformation of the soul. A contribution to the understanding of alchemical psychology, this book draws on a postmodern sensibility to develop an original way to look at the black sun and helps us explore the unknown darkness conventionally called the Self.

304 pages, 8.04 MB, PDF. Full of illustrations and diagrams.





Bernard Homer - The Image of the Cross and Lights on the Altar, in the Christian Church, and in Heathen Temples before the Christian Era (1879)



The image of the Cross and Lights on the Altar, in the Christian Church, and in heathen temples before the Christian era, especially in the British Isles, together with the history of the triangle, the dove, floral decorations, the easter egg, and other heathen symbols.

66 pages, 2.95 MB, PDF. Scan.





Wilfred H. Schoff - Tammuz Pan and Christ (1912)



57 pages, 1.15 MB, PDF. Scan.

Francis Bacon - Advancement of Learning and the New Atlantis



While he didn't exactly invent science, Francis Bacon is its best-known early promoter. The Advancement of Learning is his 1605 argument in favor of natural philosophy and inductive reasoning, and it is still vigorous and cogent today. Though using the language of Shakespeare, the book remains largely accessible to modern readers--still, a bit of classical knowledge is helpful. Shaking off the centuries-old domination of Aristotle, Bacon advocated building scientific theories on facts and observations rather than pure reason; little has changed in our approach to understanding the world since then. Of greatest interest to historians and philosophers of science, the book will also appeal to those curious about the underpinnings of today's naturalistic thinking.

The New Atlantis - This is one of Bacon's most mysterious and prophetical works. References to the philosophy of the Rosicrucians and Freemasons are abundant. It is maintained that the New Atlantis was the blueprint for the founding of America. "This fable my lord devised, to the end that he might exhibit therein a model or description of a college, instituted for the interpreting of nature, and the producing of great and marvellous works for the benefit of man, under the name of Solomon's House, or the College of the Six Days' Works." This book must be read by anyone interested in mystical history.

320 pages, 11.8 MB, PDF. Scan. Classic works. Must have!





Edward Bulwer Lytton - The Coming Race, or, the New Utopia



Accompanying an engineer down a mine shaft, a wealthy American discovers a series of caverns in which dwell the subterranean Vril-ya race. Yet not only have the Vril-ya 'people' devised the means with which to survive underground, they have also developed a highly sophisticated language, culture and civilization. Subservient to the mysterious and all-powerful force of Vril, they are primarily a peaceful race; but with a destiny to eradicate human civilization, it can only be a matter of time before they emerge from their underground caves to take on the world as we know it. From Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth to Chris Marker's La Jetee, subterranean worlds have been a source of both fascination and fear for the literary imagination and The Coming Race is no exception. An evolutionary fantasy first published in 1871, the story draws upon ideas of Darwinism to describe a near future world characterized by female dominance, physical perfection, and vast technological progress. The novel was extremely popular in its time and is now considered a seminal science fiction text by contemporary scholars.

318 pages, 14.9 MB, PDF. Scan.





Daniel Andreev - Rose of the World

Completed in 1959 after being hidden from the Soviet secret police for twenty years, this spiritual masterpeice was first made public in 1989 through excerpts in the magazine "Novy Mir." When it was finally published in its entirety in 1991, the first printing of 100,000 copies sold out immediately, and a modern Russian classic was born.

Daniel Andreev was the son of famous Russian writer and playwright Leonid Andreyev. The author, himself a poet, novelist and artist, was imprisoned in 1947 by Stalin for "anti-Soviet" activities. While in prison he wrote the first draft for The Rose of the World.

Here is a visionary work in the tradition of Blake and Dante. It is part fiction, part historical essay and part mystical vision. It describes in fascinating detail Andreev's philosophical system, with its complex, multiple-layered cosmos, and calls for a spiritual reunification of all peoples of the world.
This is the first English publication of this modern Russian classic. It constitutes a significant event in publishing that should not be missed.

201 pages, 1.26 MB, PDF.




Karen E. Starr - Repair of the Soul : Metaphors of Transformation in Jewish Mysticism and Psychoanalysis



Repair of the Soul examines transformation from the perspective of Jewish mysticism and psychoanalysis, addressing the question of how one achieves self-understanding that leads not only to insight but also to meaningful change. In this beautifully written and thought-provoking book, Karen Starr draws upon a contemporary relational approach to psychoanalysis to explore the spiritual dimension of psychic change within the context of the psychoanalytic relationship. Influenced by the work of Lewis Aron, Steven Mitchell and other relational theorists, and drawing upon contemporary scholarship in the field of Jewish studies, Starr brings the ideas of the Kabbalah, the ancient Jewish mystical tradition, into dialogue with modern psychoanalytic thought. Repair of the Soul provides a scholarly integration of several kabbalistic and psychoanalytic themes relating to transformation, including faith, surrender, authenticity, and mutuality, as well as a unique exploration of the relationship of the individual to theuniversal. Starr uses the Kabbalah's metaphors as a vivid framework with which to illuminate the experience of transformation in psychoanalytic process, and to explore the evolving view of the psychoanalytic relationship as one in which both parties - the analyst as well as the patient - are transformed.

160 pages, 2.06 MB, PDF.





J. Edward Wright - The Early History of Heaven



When we think of "heaven," we generally conjure up positive, blissful images. Heaven is, after all, where God is and where good people go after death to receive their reward. But how and why did Western cultures come to imagine the heavenly realm in such terms? Why is heaven usually thought to be "up there," far beyond the visible sky? And what is the source of the idea that the post mortem abode of the righteous is in this heavenly realm with God?

Seeking to discover the roots of these familiar notions, this volume traces the backgrounds, origin, and development of early Jewish and Christian speculation about the heavenly realm -- where it is, what it looks like, and who its inhabitants are. Wright begins his study with an examination of the beliefs of ancient Israel's neighbors Egypt and Mesopotamia, reconstructing the intellectual context in which the earliest biblical images of heaven arose. A detailed analysis of the Hebrew biblical texts themselves then reveals that the Israelites were deeply influenced by images drawn from the surrounding cultures. Wright goes on to examine Persian and Greco-Roman beliefs, thus setting the stage for his consideration of early Jewish and Christian images, which he shows to have been formed in the struggle to integrate traditional biblical imagery with the newer Hellenistic ideas about the cosmos. In a final chapter Wright offers a brief survey of how later Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions envisioned the heavenly realms. Accessible to a wide range of readers, this provocative book will interest anyone who is curious about the origins of this extraordinarily pervasive and influential idea.

337 pages, 6.56 MB, PDF.

G.R.S. Mead - Selected Works of Plotinus



Edited, preface, and bibliography by G.R.S. Mead. Contents: On the virtues; On Dialectic; On Matter; Against the Gnostics; On the Impassivity of Incorporeal Natures; On Eternity and Time; On the Immortality of the Soul; On the Three Hypostases that rank as the Principles of Things; On Intellect, Ideas, and Real Being; On the Essence of the Soul; A discussion of Doubts relative to the Soul; On the Generation and Order of Things after the First; On Gnostic Hypostases, and That which is beyond Them; That the Nature which is beyond Being is not Intellective, etc.; On the Good, or the One.

438 pages, 19.2 MB, PDF. Scan.





Gregory Shaw - Theurgy and the Soul: The Neoplatonism of Iamblichus



Theurgy and the Soul is a study of Iamblichus of Syria (ca. 240-325), whose teachings set the final form of pagan spirituality prior to the Christianization of the Roman Empire. Gregory Shaw focuses on the theory and practice of theurgy, the most controversial and significant aspect of Iamblichus's Platonism. Theurgy literally means "divine action." Unlike previous Platonists who stressed the elevated status of the human soul, Iamblichus taught that the soul descended completely into the body and thereby required the performance of theurgic rites--revealed by the gods--to unite the soul with the One. Iamblichus was once considered one of the great philosophers whose views on the soul and the importance of ritual profoundly influenced subsequent Platonists such as Proclus and Damascius. The Emperor Julian followed Iamblichus's teachings to guide the restoration of traditional pagan cults in his campaign against Christianity. Although Julian was unsuccessful, Iamblichus's ideas persisted well into the Middle Ages and beyond. His vision of a hierarchical cosmos united by divine ritual became the dominant world view for the entire medieval world and played an important role in the Renaissance Platonism of Marsilio Ficino. Even Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that he expected a reading of Iamblichus to cause a "revival in the churches." But modern scholars have dismissed him, seeing theurgy as ritual magic or "manipulation of the gods." Shaw, however, shows that theurgy was a subtle and intellectually sophisticated attempt to apply Platonic and Pythagorean teachings to the full expression of human existence in the material world.

259 pages, 13.5 MB, PDF. Scan.





Boethius - Consolation of Philosophy



Landmark of Western thought written by a 6th-century Roman statesman and philosopher awaiting execution. Comprising a dialogue in alternating prose and verse between Boethius and his spiritual guardian, the book concerns happiness: how to achieve and maintain it amid life's inevitable pain. A cornerstone of medieval humanism, the work remains a source of comfort and consolation for contemporary readers.

232 pages, 8.38 MB, PDF. Scan.





Iamblichus - Theurgia or Egyptian Mysteries



Iamblichus, more than any other single philosopher, has generally been credited with the transformation of the Neoplatonism advocated by Plotinus earlier in the 3rd century into the stiff and complicated, yet often profound, pagan religious philosophy, best known from the works of Proclus. Attempting to develop a theology encompassing all of the rites, myths, and divinities of syncretistic paganism, he was the first Neoplatonist to displace Plotinus’ purely spiritual and intellectual mysticism in favour of theurgy, the magical conjuration of the gods. Beyond the One of Plotinus, identical with the Good, Iamblichus asserted that a higher One exists outside the range of human knowledge and qualifications. To the three existing ethical virtues of Neoplatonism—political, purifying, and exemplary—he added the contemplative virtue and placed above all four the priestly, or unifying, virtues by which men obtain ecstatic union with the One. For his stress on theurgy and his elevation of the nonintellectual virtues, Iamblichus was known for the next two centuries as “the divine,” or “inspired.”

Iamblichus also had a strong influence on other Renaissance occultists like Ficino, Pico della Mirandola, and Giordano Bruno.

Contents:

• Letter of Porphyry to Anebo
• Reply of Abammon
• The Superior Races
• Rites, Symbols, and Offerings
• The Superior Races and their Manifestations
• The Order Exhibited at the Rites
• Origin of the Art of Divination
• The Divining Art Universal
• Dæmons
• Concerning the Powers Invoked
• The Question Stated
• Notions of Priests Criticized
• Concerning the Mystic Rites
• Conditions for Successful Results
• Origin of Egyptian Symbolism
• Questions Proposed
• The Personal Dæmon
• Eudæmonia, or the True Success
• Valedictory

300 pages, 15 MB, PDF. Scan.





Charles Bigg - Neoplatonism



An essential overview of Neoplatonism, its theories, doctrine, and central philosophies.

370 pages, 24.3 MB, PDF.




From Neoplatonism, Platonism and Pythagoreans folder:

Patrick Boylan - Thoth The Hermes of Egypt



The purpose of this essay is to indicate the chief tendencies of ancient Egyptian speculation in regard to the god Thoth. Taking as the basis of his work a fairly complete examination of the chief references to the god in Egyptian literature and ritual, the author has tried to distinguish the more important phases of Thoth's character as they were conceived by the Egyptians, and to show how these aspects, or phases, of his being help to explain the various activities which are assigned to him in the Egyptian legends of the gods and in the ritual of tombs and temples.

234 pages, 21.9 MB, PDF. Scan.





Valentina Izmirlieva - All the Names of the Lord



Christians face a conundrum when it comes to naming God, for if God is unnamable, as theologians maintain, he can also be called by every name. His proper name is thus an open-ended, all-encompassing list, a mystery the Church embraces in its rhetoric, but which many Christians have found difficult to accept. To explore this conflict, Valentina Izmirlieva examines two lists of God’s names: one from The Divine Names, the classic treatise by Pseudo-Dionysius, and the other from The 72 Names of the Lord, an amulet whose history binds together Kabbalah and Christianity, Jews and Slavs, Palestine, Provence, and the Balkans.

This unexpected juxtaposition of a theological treatise and a magical amulet allows Izmirlieva to reveal lists’ rhetorical potential to create order and to function as both tools of knowledge and of power. Despite the two different visions of order represented by each list, Izmirlieva finds that their uses in Christian practice point to a complementary relationship between the existential need for God’s protection and the metaphysical desire to submit to his infinite majesty—a compelling claim sure to provoke discussion among scholars in many fields.

251 pages, 2.41 MB, PDF.





David Griffin - The Ritual Magic Manual: A Complete Course in Practical Magic



This book is something alot of people have been waiting for. A simple, down to Earth guide on how to utilize the forces of the elements, the planets, the zodical signs, the sephiroth on the tree of life and even the misunderstood "demonic" forces of the qulipoth. David Griffin writes in a clear, easy-to-understand manner, that makes this book much better for practical use than most books on the subject. The author starts with basic rituals like the Lesser banishing rituals of the Pentagram and hexagram, the middle pillar exercise and the Rose Cross Ritual, them guides the reader through rituals designed to invoke and banish any force from the elemental level to the sephirotic level.
One of the most interesting aspects of the book is how Griffin incorporates Enochian into the Planetary and Zodical rites, as well as the new guidelines for Enochian pronounciation.

666 pages, 28.3 MB, PDF. Scan.





Fulcanelli: Master Alchemist: Le Mystere des Cathedrales, Esoteric Intrepretation of the Hermetic Symbols of The Great Work



In 1926 the fabled alchemist Fulcanelli left his remarkable manuscript concerning the Hermetic Study of Gothic Cathedral Construction with a student. He than disappeared. The book decodes the symbology found upon and within the Gothic Cathedrals of Europe which have openly displayed the secrets of alchemy for 700 years.

179 pages, 27.4 MB, PDF. Scan.

Kenneth Sylvan Guthrie - Numenius of Apamea, the Father of Neo-Platonism



Numenius of Apamea, the father of neo-Platonism; works, biography, message, sources, and influence.

232 pages, 13 MB, PDF. Scan.





Thomas Whittaker - The Neo-Platonists





342 pages, 28.1 MB, PDF. Scan.





Proclus - Metaphysical Elements



Proclus Lycaeus (8 February 412 – 17 April 485 AD), called "The Successor" or "Diadochos" was a Greek Neoplatonist philosopher, one of the last major Classical philosophers. He set forth one of the most elaborate and fully developed systems of Neoplatonism. He stands near the end of the classical development of philosophy, and was very influential on Western Medieval Philosophy (Greek and Latin) as well as Islamic thought.

Proclus' system, like that of the other Neoplatonists, is a combination of Platonic, Aristotelian, and Stoic elements. In its broad outlines, Proclus' system agrees with that of Plotinus. However, following Iamblichus, Plutarch of Athens (not to be confused with Plutarch of Chaeronea), and his master Syrianus, Proclus presents a much more elaborate universe than Plotinus, subdividing the elements of Plotinus' system into their logically distinct parts, and positing these parts as individual things. This multiplication of entities is balanced by the monism which is common to all Neoplatonists. What this means is that, on the one hand the universe is composed of hierarchically distinct things, but on the other all things are part of a single continuous emanation of power from the One. From this latter perspective, the many distinctions to be found in the universe are a result of the divided perspective of the human soul, which needs to make distinctions in its own thought in order to understand unified realities.

230 pages, 16.9 MB, PDF. Scan.





Iamblichus - Life of Pythagoras or Pythagoric Life



Authentic memoirs of the life of Pythagoras-the father of philosophy and the inventor of geometry-hold great interest for every lover of wisdom. Iamblichus' biography is universally acknowledged as deriving from sources of the highest antiquity. Its classic translation by Thomas Taylor was first printed in 1818 and is once again brought to light in this edition.

The Pythagorean Life is the most extensive surviving source on Pythagoreanism, and has wider interest as an account of the religious aspirations of late antiquity.

270 pages, 6.7 MB, PDF. Scan.




From Neoplatonism, Platonism and Pythagoreans folder:

B.A.G. Fuller - The Problem of Evil in Plotinus



Preliminary Considerations. Division of the subject. Definition and discussion of metaphysical, physical, and moral evil. The apportionment of reward to merit .

Reasons why evil presents a distinct problem. Primitive yet sophisticated character of the question

Types of attempted solution of the problem of Evil.
Four in number :

(1) Libertarianism. Evil the result of a misuse of free-will. A fall from an original perfection. Inheritance of consequent sin and suffering.

(2) Ethical Monism. Transubstantiation of Evil by the Absolute. Reality better for the inclusion of Evil.

(3) Naturalism. Evil as well as good purely relative to the human point of view. Reality unmoral and indifferent.

(4) Pluralism (Dualism). Evil as absolutely real as good. Existence in the universe of obstacles and limitations to the prevalence of the divine will, and the establishment of the Good .Review of the development of the problem of Evil in the history of Greek philosophy. The Pre-Socratic philosophers and contemporary "lay thought." Plato and Aristotle. The Stoics, Epicureans, and Sceptics. The Neo-Pythagoreans and Neo-Platonists.

368 pages, 22 MB, PDF. Scan.





Charles J. Whitby - The Wisdom of Plotinus A Metaphysical Study



A Metaphysical Study. "Casually introduced to the notice of the writer (Whitby), at an age when his mind must have been peculiarly susceptible to their significance, the Enneads of Plotinus took such a grip upon his imagination that for many months they seemed to have translated him bodily to the shining sphere of supersensual experience." Contents: Life of Plotinus; Ancient and Modern Methods; Neoplationism; Matter; The Universe; Individuality; The Problem of Evil; Providence and the Individual; Demons and the Demonic Faculty; Concerning Love and the Emotions; Substance or Corporeal Essence; Time and Eternity; Doctrine of the Soul; Individuality; Incarnation or Descension; The World-Soul as Basis of Movement; Intelligence, and the Intelligible World; Primal Categories or Elements of the Notion; Universal Number; Number and Unity; Time and Space in Eternity; Ideal Functions of Time and Space; Universal Differentiation; Intelligence and the One; The Cause of Beauty; The One; Potential Import ofthe Doctrine of Unity.

144 pages, 5.81 MB, PDF. Scan.





Charles Elsee - Neoplatonism in Relation to Christianity





168 pages, 9.57 MB, PDF. Scan.





G.R.S. Mead - The Chaldean Oracles







The Chaldean Oracles have survived as fragmentary texts from the 2nd century AD, and consist mainly of Hellenistic commentary on a single mystery-poem (which may have been compilations from several oracular sources, considering the random subject changes) that was believed to have originated in Chaldea (Babylonia). They appear to be a syncretic combination of neo-Platonic elements with others that were Persian or Babylonian in origin. Later neo-Platonists, such as Proclus and Iamblichus, rated them highly. The 4th-century Emperor Julian suggests in his Hymn to the Magna Mater that he was an initiate of the God of the Seven Rays, and was an adept of its teachings. When Christian Church Fathers or other Late Antiquity writers credit "the Chaldeans", they are probably referring to this tradition.

An analysis of the Chaldean Oracles demonstrates a similarity with contemporary gnostic teachings: fiery emanations initiate from the transcendental First Paternal Intellect, from whom the Second Intellect, the Demiurge comprehends the cosmos as well as himself. Within the First Intellect, a female Power, designated Hecate, is, like Sophia, the mediating World-Soul. At the base of all lies created Matter, made by the Demiurgic Intellect. The matter farthest from the Highest God (First Father/ Intellect) was considered a dense shell from which the enlightened soul must emerge, shedding its bodily garments. A combination of ascetic conduct and correct ritual are recommended to free the soul from the confines of matter and limitations, and to defend it against the demonic powers lurking in some of the realms between Gods and mortals.

The origins of the texts are unknown and mysterious. Some have claimed that the Chaldean Oracles, in the form in which they survive, were attributed to Julian the Theurgist, son of Julian the Chaldean, who served in the Roman army during Marcus Aurelius' campaign against the Quadi. Julian claimed to have saved the Roman camp from a severe drought by causing a rainstorm.[2] At least four other religious groups also claimed credit for this rainstorm. The circumstances surrounding the writing of the Oracles are mysterious, the most likely explanation being that Julian uttered them after inducing a sort of trance akin to that of the archaic oracles of Greece.

177 pages, 7.38 MB, PDF. Scan.





Thomas Taylor - The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus



The Orphic Hymns are a set of pre-classical poetic compositions, attributed to the culture hero Orpheus, himself the subject of a renowned myth. In reality, these poems were probably composed by several different poets. Reminiscent of the Rig-Veda, the Orphic Hymns contain a rich set of clues about prehistoric European mythology.

This translation by Thomas Taylor, a British neo-Platonist classicist, is of additional interest for its introduction and extensive footnotes, which discuss in great detail Taylors' philosophy. Taylor, who was considered a bit outside the pale by contemporary scholars, was an influence on successive generations of occultists such as the Theosophists and the Golden Dawn, and in the 20th Century such writers as Manly P. Hall.

Table of Contents:

Publisher's Preface; Preface; A Dissertation On The Life And Theology Of Orpheus; Sect. I.; Sect. ii.; Sect. iii.; The Initiations Of Orpheus; To MusÆus ; To The Goddess ProthyrÆa ; To Night; To Heaven; To Fire; To Protogonus, Or The First-born; To The Stars; To The Sun; To The Moon ; To Nature ; To Pan ; To Hercules; To Saturn; To Rhea ; To Jupiter; To Juno ; To Neptune; To Pluto; To Thundring Jove; To Jove, As The Author Of Lightning; To The Clouds; To The Sea, Or Tethys ; To Nereus; To The Nereids; To Proteus ; To The Earth ; To The Mother Of The Gods; To Mercury; To Proserpine; To Bacchus; To The Curetes; To Pallas; To victory; To Apollo; To Latona; To Diana; To The Titans ; To The Curetes ; To Corybas ; To Ceres; To The Ceralian Mother; To Mises; To The Seasons; To Semele; To Dionysius Bassareus Triennalis ; To Liknitus Bacchus; To Bacchus Pericionius ; To Sabasius; To Ippa ; To Lysius LenÆus; To The Nymphs; To Trietericus; To Amphietus Bacchus; To Silenus, Satyrus, And The Priestesses Of Bacchus; To Venus; To Adonis; To The Terrestrial Hermes; To Cupid, Or Love; To The Fates; To The Graces; To Nemesis; To Justice; To Equity; To Law; To Mars ; To Vulcan ; To Esculapius; To Health; To The Furies ; To The Furies; To Melinoe; To Fortune; To The DÆmon, Or Genius; To Leucothea; To PalÆmon; To The Muses; To Mnemosyne, Or The Goddess Of Memory ; To Aurora; To Themis; To The North Wind; To The West Wind; To The South Wind; To Ocean; To Vesta; To Sleep; To The Divinity Of Dreams; To Death; Endnotes

264 pages, 9.77 MB, PDF. Scan.




From NEOPLATONISM, PLATONISM AND PYTHAGOREANS folder:

Augustine Baker - Holy wisdom



Baker, Augustine (1575–1641), Benedictine writer. Sancta Sophia, or Holy Wisdom (1657) is a posthumous collection of his ascetical writings; it expounds the way of contemplation.

Contemplative prayer is not just “contemplating while you pray.” The Bible instructs us to pray with our minds (1 Corinthians 14:15), so, clearly, prayer does involve contemplation. However, praying with your mind is not what “contemplative prayer” has come to mean. Contemplative prayer has slowly increased in practice and popularity along with the rise of the emerging church movement—a movement which embraces many unscriptural ideas and practices. Contemplative prayer is one such practice.

Contemplative prayer, also known as “centering prayer,” is a meditative practice where the practitioner focuses on a word and repeats that word over and over for the duration of the exercise. While contemplative prayer is done differently in the various groups that practice it, there are similarities. Contemplative prayer involves choosing a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God's presence and action within. Contemplative prayer usually includes sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settling briefly and silently, introducing the sacred word. When a contemplative pray-er becomes aware of thoughts, he/she is to return ever so gently to the sacred word.

Contemplative Prayer is a Christian meditation technique. It seeks to still the mind by watching the breath, repeating a sacred formula or resting in silence.

The practice of contemplative prayer goes back to early Christian times. Descriptions of contemplative prayer are found in the writings of the 4th century Christian monk by name Evagrius Ponticus and in a collection of early and medieval Christian writings called Philokalia.

Contemplative prayer gets also mentioned in the medieval text Cloud of Unknowing which is the works of an anonymous 14th century English writer. Furthermore, it is central to the teachings of St. John of the Cross, a famous Spanish mystic of the 16th century and contemporary of Teresa of Avila.

726 pages, 40.7 MB, PDF. Scan.





Heinrich Seuse - A Little Book of Eternal Wisdom



Henry Suso - (ca.1295-1366), German mystic and Dominican friar

While studying at Cologne, Heinrich (Henry) Suso came under the influence of Meister Eckhart, whose writings he defended against charges of heresy. He became a popular preacher and was associated with Johannes Tauler.
At first harshly ascetic, he gradually emphasized detachment rather than mortification as central in the Christian discipline. His mysticism was expressed in terms of the contemporary literary romantic cult of the minnesingers. This gave him the epithet "Sweet Suso". His writings include Das Büchlein der ewigen Weisheit [the little book of eternal wisdom], an autobiography and a guide to beginners in the spiritual life; Das Minnebüchlein [the little book of love]; a scholarly defense of Eckhart and an attack on the Beghards and Brethren of the Free Spirit; and miscellaneous sermons. He was beatified in 1831.

Suso and his friend Johannes Tauler were students of Meister Eckhart. As a lyric poet and troubadour of divine wisdom, Suso explored with psychological intensity the spiritual truths of Eckhart’s mystical philosophy.

As in this, so in his other writings Suso, while betraying Eckhart's influence, always avoided the “errors” of his master. The book was really written in part against the pantheistic teachings of the Beghards, and against the libertine teachings of the Brethren of the Free Spirit. Henry Denifle considers it the most difficult "little book" among the writings of the German mystics.
Whereas in this book Suso speaks as a contemplative and to the intellect, in his next, Das Büchlein der ewigen Weisheit, published early in 1328, he is eminently practical and speaks out of the fullness of his heart to "simple men who still have imperfections to be put off". Karl Bihlmeyer accepts Denifle's judgment that it is the "most beautiful fruit of German mysticism", and places it next to the Homilies of St. Bernard, and the Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis. In the second half of the fourteenth and in the fifteenth century there was no more widely read meditation book in the German language.

172 pages, 9.01 MB, PDF. Scan.





Saint Thomas Aquinas - On Prayer and the Contemplative Life



This book was the work of St. Thomas Aquinas, the great master of mystical theology in the 13th century. The book teaches the wisdom on prayer and contemplative life in the form of question-answer organized into the subjects of the virtue of religion, devotion, prayer, the prayers of the saints who are in heaven, contemplative life, active life, comparison between active life and contemplative life, and religious state. Each subject contains many related questions and each question is answered in great philosophical and theological depth, accompanied with different arguments and the thoughts from the great minds and spirits such as Cajetan and S. Augustine.

294 pages, 10.6 MB, PDF. Scan.





Saint John of the Cross - The Complete Works of Saint John of the Cross



Saint John of the Cross (San Juan de la Cruz) (24 June 1542 — 14 December 1591), born Juan de Yepes Alvarez, was a major figure of the Catholic Reformation, a Spanish mystic, and Carmelite friar and priest, born at Hontoveros, Old Castile.

Saint John of the Cross was a reformer of the Carmelite Order and is considered, along with Saint Teresa of Ávila, as a founder of the Discalced Carmelites. He is also known for his writings.

St. John of the Cross is considered one of the foremost poets in the Spanish language. Although his complete poems add up to less than 2500 verses, two of them—the Spiritual Canticle and Dark Night of the Soul are widely considered to be among the best poems ever written in Spanish, both for their formal stylistic point of view and their rich symbolism and imagery.
The Spiritual Canticle is an eclogue in which the bride (representing the soul) searches for the bridegroom (representing Jesus Christ), and is anxious at having lost him; both are filled with joy upon reuniting. It can be seen as a free-form Spanish version of the Song of Songs at a time when translations of the Bible into the vernacular were forbidden.

Dark Night of the Soul (from which the spiritual term takes its name) narrates the journey of the soul from her bodily home to her union with God. It happens during the night, which represents the hardships and difficulties she meets in detachment from the world and reaching the light of the union with the Creator. There are several steps in this night, which are related in successive stanzas. The main idea of the poem can be seen as the painful experience that people endure as they seek to grow in spiritual maturity and union with God. A year after writing this poem, in 1586 he wrote a commentary on Dark Night of the Soul with the same title. This commentary explains the meaning of the poem verse by verse.

St. John also wrote four treatises on mystical theology, two of them concerning the two poems above, and supposedly explaining the meaning of the poems verse by verse and even word by word. He actually proves unable to follow this scheme and writes freely on the subject he is treating at each time.
The third work, Ascent of Mount Carmel is a more systematic study of the ascetical endeavour of a soul looking for perfect union, God, and the mystical events happening along the way. A four stanza work, Living Flame of Love describes a greater intimacy, as the soul responds to God's love. These, together with his Dichos de Luz y Amor, or "Sayings of Light and Love," and St. Teresa's writings, are the most important mystical works in Spanish, and have deeply influenced later spiritual writers all around the world. Among these can be named T. S. Eliot, Thérèse de Lisieux, Edith Stein (Teresa Benedicta of the Cross), and Thomas Merton. John has also influenced philosophers (Jacques Maritain), theologians (Hans Urs von Balthasar), and pacifists (Dorothy Day, Daniel Berrigan, and Philip Berrigan). Pope John Paul II wrote his theological dissertation on the mystical theology of Saint John of the Cross.

520 pages, 44.1 MB, PDF. Scan.




From GNOSTICISM AND CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM folder:

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