Customer Reviews

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

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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.

Manly P Hall was a great scholar. I had the wonderful experience 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 my betters and many 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, it is hard to imagine how you could do better than purchasing and studying this book.

********** "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!"

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.

This book changed my life. It introduced me to a more profound way of approching "religion" problems and inconsistencies. The book first overviews the prevailing materialistic philosophies, and then outlines the elements of secret knowledge residing in what might otherwise appear to be but psychological archetypes in the mythic tradition, the misunderstanding of which has given rise to materialistic philosophy. But there is indeed more to our western traditions than is generally realized. Inside the myths and allegories of all ages is a truth that very few appreciate. This book outlines in lucid detail, those truths that the world desperately needs, and that have been destroyed by time, wars and arrogance, and consolidates them under one cover. The books physical beauty alone makes it one of the most impressive books ever published. The plates make great meditation mandalas. The bibliography list is devoted to source works that have been neglected--many still not in print or even translated. To actually read the book is equivalent to a college course in the mysteries systems of antiquity, which were indeed the first schools in the historical record. The book is but an outline focusing on the "occidental" mysteries..but a very profound one. Not since the Secret Doctrine of Blavatsky had a book so comprehensibly melded the western tradition. And not since has a book come close to this one, first published in 1928.

I can add little to what the others that have reviewed this book have said other than to give it my highest personal endorsement. Mr. Hall was that rarest of true scholars- the Agrippa of our age.

There are those that will question why genuine "secret teachings" should be published for the general public. The author answers this near the end of the book in recounting the tale of Alexander's displeasure in hearing that his mentor Aristotle had published one of his most profound discourses for anyone to read. Aristotle's reply was that those who lacked spiritual comprehension would gain little from reading the book. That is also true in our time. Most people will not read this book, and those who do (if not ready) will dismiss it as nonsense. That certainly applied to me in my youth. It is a foolproof lock to wisdom- it will sound like foolishness to those who have not yet obtained to spiritual comprehension. You have to be capable of contemplating such teachings and then internalizing them (or "ensouling" them in the author's terminology.)

This book is truly a link of the Golden Chain. The author understood the importance of the Mysteries, of Pythagoras and Plato, of the perennial wisdom that flows through the ages. That is why this book will never be dated- such wisdom springs from the Source and can only be recollected. That Hall could have mastered so much in his 20's is remarkable. That he was sensitive to the growing danger of unbalanced soulless materialism so young makes him a true prophet. Given his times and backgoround I can only assume that this man was directly initiated by the Gods themselves.

This Tarcher/Penguin edition is truly a reader's edition. The type is actually readable as opposed to some of the reduced facsimile editions. It is unabridged and most of the important illustrations are included. The table of contents is very detailed and useful and there is a full index. Still, one day, I will own my own copy of the magnificent full-sized original for it is as much a work of art as it is a compendium of knowledge and wisdom.

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!

Dear Friends, Please note there are several editions of "The Secret Teachings of All Ages" by Manly P. Hall. Each is outstanding, but it might help to note some recent differences. The Philosophical Research Society of Los Angeles (www.prs.org) publishes beautiful, large-sized editions of Mr. Hall's original classic. Tarcher/Penguin, in partnership with PRS, publishes a "Reader's Edition," which features the complete, unabridged text in a more compact size and at a lower price, though with an abridged selection of illustrations. I am writing as the editor/publisher of the Tarcher/Penguin edition. If you would like to learn more about the new "Reader's Edition" of "The Secret Teachings," please visit either www.lapismagazine.org/horowitz.html or www.mitchhorowitz.com. You can visit PRS at www.prs.org. In any format, "The Secret Teachings of All Ages" is a book you will come to treasure. Best, Mitch Horowitz

Just started reading this book. But I just wanted to comment on the graphics. The illustrations are not that good in this version. I saw the 2003 version at borders ($25) and the graphics in that one is in color and is easier to see. I am purchasing the 2003 version for my library.

I bought this book many years ago in the hardcover edition.
Although the text is a tough nut to crack sometimes, the scope and variety of the subjects is amazing. Manly Hall knows his stuff.
The fascinating full-page drawings contribute to the magical attraction of this reference work, and the subject chapters make it easy to find what you're looking for.
Not a book for readers who are looking for short explanations, but certainly for who is interested in an overview of history and content of esoteric traditions. An asset to anyone's library.