The Secret Teachings of All Ages : An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic, and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy (Hardcover)

by Manly P. Hall (Author), J. Augustus Knapp (Illustrator)
Key Phrases: divine fire, universal mercury, druidic order, The Secret Teachings of All Ages, Forgotten Books, Sir Francis Bacon (more...)

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. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Review
Into this volume has been compressed the quintessence of a colossal learning. It is a living human document, pulsating with the mental and spiritual vibrations of a profound thinker who takes knowledge for his province and reduces whole libraries to a single tome. -- George Barron, Curator of the De Young Museum of San Francisco, in his tribute to this remarkable work.

Simply put, this is the most beautiful and complete occult book ever published. It represents a lifetime of research into the mythology, symbolism, and magical practices of countless cultures. From the secrets of Isis to the teachings of mystic Christianity, nearly every occult dogma imaginable is represented here. The book is full of giant illustrations, some of which fold out into a magnificent two-page splendor. This is the definitive guide to secret societies, famous figures, and more a must for every personal library. -- Llewellyn New Times

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 254 pages
• Publisher: Philosophical Research Society (January 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0893145467
• ISBN-13: 978-0893145460
• Product Dimensions: 19.5 x 12.7 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (73 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #885,644 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

81 of 86 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Against Materialism, January 12, 2006

By	southpaw68 "southpaw68" (florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Reader's Edition) (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.

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless edition of timeless wisdom, May 10, 1998

By	John McConnell (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Manly P Hall was a great scholar. I had the honor of hearing him lecture at his Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles shortly before his passing in 1990. Having read classical and comparative philosophy and religion for many years, my impression - shared by many laymen and scholars - is you really cannot do better than this book. There are many editions available, even a paperback edition currently in many bookstores.

If you appreciate Joseph Campbell but wish to pursue the more mystical side of religion, Manly P Hall is an excellent resource. Whereas Campbell was a self-proclaimed "maverick" with no particular allegiance to any one form of religion, Manly P Hall was a thirty-third degree Freemason, and clearly sympathetic to the theory that in our ancient past there existed a system of mystery religions in which invocation of deities and angels was practiced and actually achieved. (Classic example, if memory serves, being Plutarch's tale of the invocation of the Neoplatonist Plotinus' guardian angel in the Temple of Isis in Rome by an Egyptian priest.)

If you are sympathetic to "the old religions" and want a sympathetic scholarly accounting, - again, it is hard to imagine how you could do better than purchasing and studying this book.

87 of 96 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Astounding Artwork Pervades this Conundrum-Solving Tome, March 1, 2001

By	Graham Douglas Lincoln "The Truth is Absolute... (Louisville, KY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret Teachings of All Ages: An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic & Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy - Reduced Size Color (Paperback)

********** "The Secret Teachings of All Ages" is, without question, the most wonderful book I have ever owned! I spent hours slowly turning the pages and looking at the Very Well- Produced Artwork!!! You will be amazed, when you first open the book. The printing is also very stylish and sets-off the Mystical nature of the very large <this is a "reduced" size?!> compendium of knowledge. I have been studying Masonic & Hermetic Philosophy, Psychology, Anthropology, Astrology, etc. for the last ten years....and this book just left my jaw hanging, in wonder and rapture. You will see what appears to be originals of many "occult" images that permeate the mass-market. This is high-quality art that begs to be placed on even the wealthiest person's coffee-table. Even if you only purchase this book for it's superb artwork and Masonic / Hermetic / Kabalistic illustrations, pictures/paintings & Alchemical drawings, you will not be disappointed!!! I recommend this book to people who do not like to read and to those who Love to Read! Either way, you cannot lose. I am particularly interested in the "man with four faces," because of a Vision I had in 1991.... Looks like I am not the only person to ever draw The Conundrum.

You will be enthralled with the Artistic Quality of this massive book and you will treasure it's contents forever. This is an absolute "must-have" for all Students of "The Secret Teachings of All Ages!"