Customer Reviews

Lectures on Ancient Philosophy

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As is often the case with Manly Hall, this book is deceptively clear. Much of what he says sounds obvious and easy to understand -- until you put the book down and try to understand the authors he's written about. Then you will find that he has brought a wonderful clarity to the essential truths of ancient philosophy, delivering the heart of wisdom without the encumbrances of academic verbiage. An excellent starting-point for young people interested in the great visionaries of the past, and an enlivening refresher for those bogged down in the tedium of classical philosophic texts.

Since learning from Manly P. Hall and others of the reality of reincarnation, I have often wondered why I chose to incarnate at this time -- i.e., in such a materialist and therefore decadant age. One reason seems to be the writings and wisdom of Manly P. Hall himself. As one reviewer has said, Hall explains the obscure allegories, mythologies, and ideas of the Secret Doctrine, or the Occult Western Tradition, in a way that someone seeking a genuine understanding of the nature of him/herself and of the universe can truly understand. When has humanity ever had such a clear expositor of the sublime truths of philosophy, theology, and science? He has truly been a very modern light in the darkness of human understanding.

I have not read the entire book, but felt compelled, this Sat. morning, to write a brief review. The book is essential reading next to Hall's Secret Teachings (an improper title compared to its original title: "An Encyclopedic Outline of Ancient Rosicrucian, Freemasonic ... etc., etc." -- because it really is more of an encyclopedia, with each chapter being an independent 'window' into the most precious, though recondite, wisdom of the human family).

The first 4 chapters (preceded by the most wonderful preface critiqing modern materialist values) provide the foundation of the book's metaphysical outlook, namely what Hall refers to as "the dot, the line, and the circle" -- representing the (source) God, the angelic beings or lesser gods, and finally the world of form (where humanity is 'trapped'). chapters 2-4 explain each of these in turn.

On a personal note, Chapter 4 -- the Inferior Creation and Its Regent, dealing with the "circle" as the aspect of Self furthest from source (God) -- is my favorite chapter, perhaps of any book, because it perfectly describes life as I have experienced it (more or less, and sadly, as a spiritual being, trapped in form). In any case, the first 4 chapters offers a clear pagan understanding of Deity -- which Hall describes as "a fundamental monotheism manifesting through a complex polytheism" -- and that applies equally to the apparently polytheistic Greeks, as it does to any other ancient culture, as Hall adamantly stresses in this and other of his works.

I cannot do full justice to the book as I have not read it in its entirety but I do know that a solid grasp of chapters 1-4 is essential to an appreciation of occultism, just as it is to an appreciation of the rest of the book. I found chapter 5 (The Annhilation of the Sense of Diversity) to be less inspired, less interesting, than the other chapters and Chapter 10, on Pagan Cosmogony, I have so far found to be somewhat obscure, though I'm still struggling with it. Chapter 7, the Doctrine of Redemption Through Grace, is a scathing attack on Christian theology/morality that seeks, according to Hall (and me), to bring God down to man rather than to bring man up to God. He also accuses Christianity of being an essentially idolatrous relgion because of its literalist interpretation of scripture and religious teaching. It's only when one appreciates parables, mythologies, allegories, etc. as symbolic of higher principles that one opens one's mind sufficiently to gain a true grasp of reality, and, therefore, of Deity.

Chapter 9 on The Cycle of Necessity, is essential reading on the pagan understanding of reincarnation. Hall has touched on this subject in other works ("Reincarnation") but this chapter is a wonderful addition to those. Hall opens the chapter with a "gauntlet" thrown at modern materialist intellectualism in the form of three pressing and perpetually unanswered questions: "Life is the beginning of what? Love is the fulfillment of what? Death is the end of what?" Materialist philosophy has ever been mum on the subject of a response to these questions.

Unfortunately I cannot comment on the rest of the book, as I have not read the rest of the, in total, 20 chapters -- but I was too enraptured with the first half of the book not to write a review of what I've read so far.

I know that this book was written as a supplement to THE SECRET TEACHINGS OF ALL AGES but it seems to me that it is the equal to that masterwork, if not perhaps superior in some ways. I found it to be a well-organized, precise exposition of the Ancient Wisdom from the Neoplatonic viewpoint of the Alexandrian School in particular and the Greek Mysteries in general. Nor do I have any doubt that the Ancient Wisdom of Hall is exactly the Philosophia Perennis of Guenon and Schuon. Of course Hall didn't revise this volume after it was originally written- you cannot "improve" upon the eternal wisdom if it has been carefully and correctly expounded.

When Hall speaks of perfect consciousness it is the same as Schuon's intuitive intellection. Subject and object become one in perfect union. Consciousness is union with Self. Lesser mind is incapable of reaching the state of perfect consciousness. Yet, this lower, rational, materially based mind must be developed to its absolute limit of attainment- so that it may come to know its ultimate limitations- and therefore die. The lower mind must die, must be sacrificed, that the Great Work be accomplished. There is no higher goal. In the secret teachings the mind itself is the Savior-God. Mind, as the Savior-God, must be sacrificed and transcend in order that the worlds of Spirit and Matter might be joined. A being who attains this union within himself, who resides at the apex of the two pyramids, will never quite seem to fit into the conventional material environment known by others.

Once upon a time, when I was still infatuated with lower mind I would have written this book off as unreadable gibberish. Now that I have verified its teachings through my own experience and being I find it to be a gem beyond price.

This is the true Philosophy, the love of Wisdom. The academic discipline that currently goes by the title of "philosophy" is no such thing. It is rather philosophy's obscene ab*rtion...

An excellent introduction to ancient philosophy for the layman. The diagrams at the beginning of each chapter make ancient philosophy very easy to understand. This is an essential companion book to appreciate the Secret Teachings of All Ages. However, Hall challenges the sacred ideas associated with the Christian world view so the books are not for the fainthearted. Both books whet the appetite to delve into the Britannica Great Books of the Western World and a very liberal education.

I started my path to illumination just a few years ago and this book has helped me stay on the path. One great thing about Manly P. Hall is that his books keep you wanting to learn more. I sometimes become discouraged to keep reading philosophy because I feel that no matter what I do I will never know the truth. Hall has taught me to not to look for the truth but find out what is true to me.

This book is loaded with golden nuggets of truth. If you are searching for answers this is a great book to start with.