The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Reader's Edition) [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Manly P. Hall (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 27, 2003

A classic since 1928, this masterly encyclopedia of ancient mythology, ritual, symbolism, and the arcane mysteries of the ages is available for the first time in a compact "reader's edition."

Like no other book of the twentieth century, Manly P. Hall's legendary The Secret Teachings of All Ages is a codex to the ancient occult and esoteric traditions of the world. Students of hidden wisdom, ancient symbols, and arcane practices treasure Hall's magnum opus above all other works.

While many thousands of copies have sold since its initial publication in 1928, The Secret Teachings of All Ages has previously been available only in oversized, expensive editions. For the first time, Hall's celebrated classic is now published in an affordable trade paperback volume. Literally hundreds of entries shine a rare light on some of the most fascinating and closely held aspects of myth, religion, and philosophy from throughout the centuries.

More than one hundred line drawings and a sixteen-page color insert reproduce some of the finest illustrations of the original book, while reset and reformatted text makes this edition of The Secret Teachings of All Ages newly accessible to readers everywhere.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In 1928, a 20-something Renaissance man named Manly Hall self-published a vast encyclopedia of the occult, believing that "modern" ideas of progress and materialism were displacing more important and ancient modes of knowledge. Hall's text has become a classic reference, dizzying in its breadth: various chapters explore Rosicrucianism, Kabbalah, alchemy, cryptology, Tarot, pyramids, the Zodiac, Pythagorean philosophy, Masonry and gemology, among other topics. This affordably priced edition would be vastly improved by a new foreword, placing the work in some kind of historical and critical context and introducing readers to the basic contours of Hall's sweeping corpus. Instead, we have a disciple's adulatory 1975 foreword, which merely parrots the same themes of mystery and esoterica that are espoused in the book. Readers who are unfamiliar with Hall's work will be at a loss in ferreting out which chapters have stood the test of time and which have been vigorously debunked (like the one on Islam, which actually uses novelist Washington Irving as a primary source on the prophet Muhammad). However, they will also marvel at the sheer scope of Hall's research and imagination, and at J. Augustus Knapp's famous illustrations, including a 16-page color insert.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"'Man is a god in the making' Manly P. Hall" --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 768 pages
• Publisher: Tarcher; Reprint edition (October 27, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585422509
• ISBN-13: 978-1585422500
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.7 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,362 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > New Age > Reference
  • #64 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Religious & Inspirational > Mystery
  • #73 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Occult

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

239 of 250 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Against Materialism January 12, 2006

By southpaw68 VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

The over-riding theme of Manly P. Hall's book is that the most basic secret teaching is that one should overcome your animal, lower, inferior nature of lust, hatred, and greed and become more spiritual, realizing that this world is an illusion, which isn't your true home, and your body is not your true self. By following the golden rule instead of the rule of gold, one can become enlightened enough to avoid ever having to come back to this awful world again. Wisdom is to be valued more than gold. If you do not attain such spiritual wisdom, you are doomed to repeat your experiences by reincarnating or you may experience hell or purgatory, according to some faith traditions.

Hall criticizes modern times as being too materialistic. The more you focus on earthly desires, the more you become bound to it, the more misery you shall suffer here and after death. You should follow the urges of your higher self, the spirit and soul, which operate above you in the heavenly realms as your body stays upon on this earth while you learn your lessons.

But as far as lust goes, Hall does not recommend that everyone become celibate, since if you are not particularly enlightened it would not be appropriate for you and may lead to neurosis.

Hall goes over the symbolism of many esoteric traditions in this mostly interesting, but sometimes boring book. This is a big, long, thick book that is crammed with so much information it's hard to remember it all. A lot of the explanations of symbols gets tedious after awhile and I asked the question occasionally, "Why should this be important to me?" Especially dense was the sections on the Kabala symbolism. Hall also goes over Biblical symbolism as allegorical true, not literally true, and it is based on earlier pagan traditions.

I liked the sections on black magic versus white magic and the life of Doctor Faust, who Hall claims was a real person. Hall warns us never to get involved with black magic and make pacts with evil spirits for our own temporal and selfish gain since we will be doomed to serve the spirit for eternity once we break one of the conditions of the contract as Faust did. Such evil comes from selfishness, the source of all evil. Hall is even cautions us against hypnosis and calls high pressure salesmanship a form of black magic. He says that mediums that pretend to be speaking to dead loved ones are actually elemental spirits acting like dead loved ones. It is not good to dabble in black magic just out of curiosity. I was surprised he sounded so much like a fundamentalist preacher on this topic.

White magic, however, seems to be okay with him and he has a section in which one is shown how magic can be used by invoking Christ's name and giving him the glory, using it for the expansion of your wisdom, not the fulfillment of your selfish desires.

Hall gets into the question of who really wrote Shakespeare's plays. Shakespeare himself really did not have the educational background to be able write the plays that had so many erudite references. Hall shows us that Francis Bacon was the one who wrote the plays and the various ways that he gave clues that he actually did write them. Francis Bacon was also a freemason who had the knowledge of how to conceal information through cryptograms, which are contained in his writings.

The book covers a myriad of esoteric topics and persuades the reader to take seriously the phenomena of alchemy, the Delphic oracles, and the mysterious Saint Germaine, among other things. The freemasonic origins of the United States is covered some also.

Alchemy is the process of turning base metals into gold. Metaphysically, humans are also attempting over several lifetimes to eliminate their base natures and turn to the golden light of virtue. That is what alchemy allegorically represents. Hall gives of us some examples in history in which alchemy was said to have actually occurred.

The French and American Revolutions were inspired by the freemasons. This occult group wanted to get rid of the tyranny of monarchy, the ignorance of the general populace, and the superstitions of the church. By electing a philosophical elect, the people would be well served by their governments (in theory). The original seal of the US might actually be the occult symbol of the phoenix, instead of the eagle. The French Revolution was not as successful for the freemasons since a violent reign of terror ensued, perpetrated by fanatics.

Why is the occult kept hidden from the general populace? It is hidden because of the prejudice against certain occult teachings that people aren't ready to accept. The powerful status quo is also threatened by such teachings. There is the prohibition of against throwing your pearls before swine who will only abuse such teachings. One must be worthy to accept the mysteries, which means that you have to be moral enough to receive the teachings. Mystery schools often have initiates go through many trying ordeals before they are considered worthy enough to reach the next level of wisdom.

Some occultists have a reputation for being immoral though. Hall explains that occult schools are only as good as the people in control of them. Over the years, a once virtuous group can become corrupted. That is the reason why some occult groups are considered bad.

75 of 83 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars questionably enveloping December 28, 2005

By jacob butler

Format:Paperback

The style of this book is wonderful and indeed it tells much about the esoteric foundations. When reading this book even I, a relatively devout Christian, could not help being swept up and sometimes moved nearly to tears by the discovery of philosophies that rang so beatifully true.

However, Mr. Hall I suppose also got carried away in the beauty of the esoteric and left out some in-paragraph citations that would have addded an extra feeling of validity. That, I believe is the main fault of the book; it is certainly beautiful but the author should have explained and offered sources for some of his wilder conclusions directly after he made them. A particulary distressing case of this occurs after a wonderfully powerful oration concerning the great pyramid and it's use in the ancient mysteries, you read on feeling continually involved by the deep spiritual narrative involving man's journey and the symbolism of the pyramid, Only after reading the pyramid narrative do you step back and wonder, where did all that come from ?, can there be any verification to such a beatiful yet seemingly unreffernced story, or is the author just making his own assumptions.

Another annoyance sometimes forced on the reader is Hall's almost direct accusation of your stupidity. After discussing the myth of the "dying god" hall concludes the chapter by telling you that if you don't understand the symbolism of the dying god then you shouldn't consider yourself intelligent.

The last irksome thing is Hall's inability to keep his philosophies' seperate, he is just such a fount of knowledge that he feels himself credible in trying to mix different teachings which are more easily understood left by themselves.

Overall this is definitely a worthwhile book that gets to the heart of the esoteric teachings which it catalogues. It is beatifully written and very informational while still retaining it's ability to be read from cover to cover. It's shortcomings are some deeply troubling ones but they are overcome by the book's exceeding quality and completeness in all other regards.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars One Book Resource Library November 24, 2005

By Casca

Format:Paperback

Was introduced to this book in 1964, and have had the book near my desk at home since that time. Manly Hall was a unique individual and his encyclopedic compilation of information in one volume is masterful. Recently purchased the paper back edition to allow notes to be placed in the margins. My original shall remain unmarked. Purchased copies for two of my students also, this precludes the refusal of their request to borrow my original. The paper backed edition has the marvelous art work of the original, and frankly the prints look even better than the first copy purchased.

Try it you will like it!