Serpents of Wisdom
Serpents of Wisdom
Many of the occult and mystical books the author mentions are
reviewed on the website of occult-mysteries.org. The same website
also has several of the books of J Michaud PhD to read online,
together with an introductory study course in the occult sciences,
which is based on Dr Michaud’s first book — Occult Enigmas —
from which the author has drawn much of the material for her book.
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Serpents of Wisdom
Part 1
You have probably come to the realization that there are no listings of
Masters and true Teachers in the Yellow Pages. It is possible to find
psychics, astrologers, and other such flora and fauna, and you may
even find advertisements in metaphysical-type magazines for birds of
ill-omen who call themselves masters, but unless we have polyps for
brains, we ought to know that the only thing they are masters of, is
deceit of an expensive kind. In this ‘New Age’ we are besieged by
hordes of so-called shamans, gurus, channelers, high priests,
clairvoyants, magicians, yogis, wizards, witches, necromancers,
dream-interpreters, transcendentalists, spiritualists, diviners, and a
variety of other dolts, all frantically waving wands, rods and pointed
fingers; chanting mantras, developing chakras, burning candles and
incense, drawing holy circles, squares and triangles; selling talismans
and charms, raising the dead, astral travelling, reading fortunes from
greasy Tarot cards and plastic runes; mouthing incantations,
achieving cosmic awareness, reaching ecstasy through tantra, gaining
power and healing by means of crystals; theorizing on the Cabala,
practicing Norse magic, Celtic magic, Enochian magic, Teutonic
magic, ceremonial magic, temple magic and herb magic.
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The ill-advised followers of these self-appointed teachers, swallow
wholesale the most absurd propositions put forward by these coolies
of the Occult; these poachers on Spiritual grounds. But is there a
single Master among them? An Adept, perhaps? Or an Initiate? The
sad but true answer is NO — not one. There is not even a good
imitation of one. So where will you find one?
Do you think you would recognize a Master if you did meet one? Are
you under the impression that he would advertise his Mastership by
wearing saffron robes? Flowing locks? Sandals? A halo? A crown of
thorns? Or could it possibly be that he is so well hidden because he
looks like any one of us, giving us no obvious signs to recognize him
by, and, in this manner, throwing us back on our ability to tell Truth
from falsehood? How many of us are willing or able to know and
welcome Mastership or Adeptship by listening to words of Truth?
The majority seem to prefer personality, fame, and drivellers of
ineptitude who reconfirms our preconceived opinions.
And what does a Master do with all his Wisdom and Power? How
come, if they are as wise and as powerful as they are cracked up to
be, don’t they put an end to world hunger and injustice, and to wars?
How easy that would be for us! We could then carry on as our usual
intolerant, greedy and unrespectable selves, and have the Masters die
on an assortment of crosses on our behalf — pay the consequences
for us, so to speak. Ah, what bliss! Heaven on Earth!
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We could wallow in our smooth sinfulness without effort or care,
until we turned into elemental dust and blew away. Holy Hades!
There would be no need to learn anything at all and we could sit
around in our recliners, like the dross of hell, moaning and griping
about everything and everyone.
And anyway, to the ordinary man, all that stuff about Masters,
Wisdom, Light and Love, has no meaning - it makes him yawn. What
matters to him is profit, the latest football scores, fun, food, and lots
of sleep. If you talk to this kind of plebeian about the more elevated
things - things of the Spirit and of the Higher man, he will probably
brush you aside with: ‘In my opinion, that’s a lot of bull.’ and it will
be your own fault for thoughtlessly throwing your pearls before the
swine. Your hard gained pearls of wisdom will be trampled underfoot,
and neither you nor the plebeian you sought to enlighten will have
gained a thing by your eagerness to share your new-found Light.
Regretfully, you will soon learn that most men shun the light like so
many vampires hiding in their coffins as soon as the sun comes out.
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Kabalist, was murdered; Jaques Cazotte, the seer, was executed, and
Socrates was condemned to death. Pythagoras had to flee from the
tyranny of Polycrates. Cagliostro died while confined in prison;
Giordano Bruno was burnt alive; Sendivogius was imprisoned and
tortured; Paracelsus and Agrippa were forced to spend their lives as
wretched wanderers....and the list goes on.
You may argue that all this took place a long time ago, that we are
more civilized these days and would never tolerate such barbaric
behaviour. Don’t believe it! Human nature does not change much,
and however arrogant and self-satisfied modern man is concerning
his latest achievements and so-called progress, he is still as stupid and
as cruel as ever. Fools are still persecuting and killing messengers,
whether physically or by ridicule and calumny, who irritate them, or
who hold views considered threatening.
This is one of the reasons why the Wise keep silent as to who, what
and where they are — and maybe — to a lesser extent, so should you.
It is also wrong to foist your beliefs on others who may be at a
different stage on the Path than yourself; or who may simply be going
by a different route. Since it is only possible for us to understand
something up to our own level, how would we know if we were
foisting ourselves and our beliefs on those who have far surpassed us
in knowledge and Wisdom? And yet, people do all the time, unaware
of the pitying and gentle smiles of those who can see through them.
And although you should always protect the fellow traveller lower
than yourself on the ladder to the Light, you must at all times guard
against being preached at or dictated to by them. As for the majority,
those who care not, let them go on their merry way, without judging
them, but at the same time make sure that you see them for what they
are, freeing you from the danger of falling for outward trappings.
Do not be like the “false prophet”, spoken of by Levi, “who must slay
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if he cannot pervert. For he clamours for tolerance towards himself
but takes good care in what sense it shall be extended to others.”
By observing the fool, we can learn how not to be; but talking to them
is as futile as trying to tan during a total eclipse of the Sun. This is
one of the reasons why the secrets of the mystic should not be
divulged to fools, who would not understand them, and would
ridicule the divulger, and drag the Sacred Teachings through the mud
of their imbecility.
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take if you want to reach one of the Masters. If you are sincere about
reaching one of the Masters, you may have to work alone, and very
likely in obscurity, for a long time. There will be nobody to cheer you
on and the only evidence of the usefulness of your Quest, will be your
faith. You will be sorely tested as to courage and strength of purpose,
and these tests will sometimes present themselves to you in subtle
ways, forcing you to dig deep into your purse of faithfulness and
stamina. Only those in possession of an unshakable conviction - those
who have to go on because they must — will reach the Goal. Half-
heartedness will get you nowhere, and laziness, either of the body or
the Spirit, will make you an easy catch for the false teacher who
promises mastery in three short months.
Then, and only then, can we hope to be noticed by the Masters who
live within the Light.
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“Quite near the Sun.”
“Why?”
“Because they can stand it.”
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as much in the dark about things as you are yourself, for that will only
lead to confusion and eventual disillusionment.
These wind-bags who follow this trend stand before you with heads
full of imaginary knowledge and pretence, crystals and pentagrams at
the ready, and shamelessly claim: “I’m a Zen Buddhist”, “I practice
Enochian magic”, “I’m into Shamanism”, and so on and so forth ad
nauseam. If you are stupid or unfortunate enough to lend them an ear
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for a while, they will prate and babble deliriously, without drawing
life-giving breath, in an infantile and superficial manner, about things
of which they have no more understanding than the pig has about
pearls.
On the other hand we have the Christians, sitting in their pews like
mutton on a skewer, and filled with the fear at the prospect of losing
sheep to the New Age or to ‘heathen’ and ‘pagan’ religions. These are
the so-called friends of Jesus who, without too much prompting from
the Devil, will send a Jew, a Hindu, or a Muslim straight to Hell for
not believing as they do. In return, the Jew, Hindu or Muslim, will
send the Christian to hell. It was probably this kind of intolerant ass
Job had in mind when he said:
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“Miserable comforters are ye all”.
Arthur Machen, the 20th Century mystic and author, also seemed to
be unimpressed with the behaviour of those who call themselves
Christians: “The New Testament for all these people has been written
in vain; they will still believe that a good Christian is one who drinks
a cup of cocoa at 9:30pm and is in bed by ten sharp. And to such
persons, of course, the texts which assert the necessity of becoming
like little children if we would enter the Kingdom of Heaven are clear
enough; it is merely a matter of early hours and plenty of cocoa — or,
perhaps, of warm bread and milk.”
There are many who pretend that they seek real knowledge, when in
reality they seek social gatherings and attention, recognition and
admiration from other owls with opinions. The beliefs of these people
are no more than superficial ideas voiced in the current terminology
of their circle, to be dropped and replaced by other, equally
superficial ideas as they move on to the next social gathering. Their
professed beliefs appear to be dependent upon whom they befriend or
socialize with, and are used as keys which open the door to the
coveted club of the moment.
But the person of wisdom is always alone. I did not say lonely....I said
alone. There is a great difference. To a wise person the crowd is never
company; the faces are undistinguished and the conversation is no
more than a string of trite phrases; the laughter is hollow, and false
friendship is easily obtained and lost. Yet, out of the need for outward
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show (for such it is), the inept person inevitably resorts to this kind of
self-important posturing, being dependent on the opinions and
admiration of their haw-humming cronies. Such a person would
probably not want to hear that the Path has to be trodden alone, and
that their only companions along the way will be the truth and the
belief that they will be heard and answered when they are ready. It
takes great courage to stand alone and be faithful even when life tests
you; but adversity, when cheerfully overcome, builds character,
which is invaluable to the Aspirant. A timid person will give up at the
first hurdle, like a gray mouse startled by discovery. For such the
Light will be too strong: only the brave warrior will gain Mastery and
eventual Liberation.
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incomprehensible statement at them, which will act as a spanner in the
works of their brains, rendering it useless for further discrimination.
And human conceit, being what it is, will not admit to its own
stupidity, but will sit there listening to endless drivel with a contrived
and holy look on its bland face, for fear of appearing not to have
comprehended the deep and secret gas works being wafted at them.
I urge you to beware of the noxious souls who pretend to teach the
mysteries; even of those who pretend to be deliverers of ‘new’ gospel
truths; for of the truth they have no more idea than a cockroach has
of fine dining.
Most of the sacred writings and great minds of this world, warn us (if
we take the trouble to consult them), about the false teachers. The
Third Book of the Pistis Sophia says: “Renounce the doctrines of
error, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and saved
from all the chastisements of the great dragon of the outer darkness.”
And in John 5:1 it says: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the
spirits whether they be of God: because many false prophets are gone
out into the world.”
But the majority of students mistake the false teacher for the true and
spend their lives chasing after these knaves; engaged on a quest of
utter futility, they waste their time and money on moronic books,
psychic readings, and New Age workshops....all to no avail!!
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The cloud of darkness hangs about them thicker than ever. The crude
and oily exudations of the false teacher burns like any other oil-well,
with lots of show, little benefit, and a certain amount of danger.
Before the self appointed victims know it, the black cloud of smoke
shuts out the Light and leaves them, scared and confused, groping
about in the dark.
“Learn to see clearly, learn to wish for what is just, learn to dare what
your conscience dictates, learn to keep your intentions secret, and if,
despite all your efforts, today brings no more than yesterday, do not
lose courage, but continue steadfastly, keeping your goal before you
with determination. Onward!”
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the keeping of the Masters, and unless we can live in such a way as
to become worthy of their attention, we shall have to live in the
darkness of the outer court where all is confusion.
Wait for the true Master in peace and secrecy; for how can a Master
contact a person full of turmoil and one who continuously seeks out
the friendless and envious crowd? To the person who is deemed
ready, and who has been chosen, the Holy Laws will be revealed only
under solemn vows of silence. The reason for this is simple: Were the
false teachers to get wind of the Secret Laws, they would do to them
that which they have done to everything else — use them for their
own glory and their own financial gain. The Holy Laws would fall
prey to man’s first instinct — the lower self — which is only
interested in earthly appetites, selfishness and greed, and the True
Messenger would be ridiculed and persecuted.
In this manner would the Saviour of Mankind, the Truth of the Most
High, be dragged through the mud and lost forever to the True Seeker
on earth. Darkness would reign supreme and the hope of the genuine
disciple would go unfulfilled and unmet.
For these reasons will the Adept keep the Holy Laws out of the hands
of the unscrupulous and the unready. It is to be kept safe, as a Pearl
of Great Price for those whose earthly skin is wearing thin; for the
battle-scarred Warrior who has come through lifetimes of tests and
trials, and whose whole being longs for Peace and Mercy. To such the
Truth is given with tenderness and love by the Masters of Wisdom,
and there is no greater gift for the weary traveller.
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The difference is as great as between heaven and hell, and the choice
is yours.
If you align yourself with the latter, your head will be full of
imaginary knowledge and pretence and the wise will flee from you.
They know that outward show and vain posturings are the marks by
which they can recognize the inept — the slaves of ignorance of this
world. Of the mighty simplicity of the works of the Hidden Deity,
they know nothing; humble worship from the heart is alien to them;
and the true Teacher is hidden from them by God’s splendour, that
they may not know him.
Let us listen to the wise words of Dr Michaud again: “We are either
negative and destructive in our thinking and acting, thus associating
ourselves with the black side of everything in the Universe — or we
think positive and constructive thoughts — building in the full blaze
of the Cosmic Light and goodness, instead of cowering like cravens
in dark corners, together with all the devils of hell. There is no middle
way — unless we call aimlessly drifting along without even
attempting to turn to either light or darkness a third way. But to
imagine such an existence as another way or Path is unthinkable. We
are — or should be — either dwellers in the murky dark, forever
hating, moaning, and destroying, or we are the Children of Light —
glorified in the union of all that is good and God-like. There is no
middle way.”
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between the person who is oblivious to their own ignorance, thinking
they know it all and who dishes it out to all and sundry in a
sanctimonious manner, and the Wise who are painfully aware of their
own ignorance, for they have discovered that the more we know, the
more we know how little we know.
While the former are beating their chests and blowing their
discordant trumpets, the latter goes about his life calmly and quietly,
trusting in the Lords of Life to show him the way, being all the while
careful to avoid dogmatism, for he knows that life on Earth is an
Illusion and other men’s opinions are based on shifting and illusive
foundations. Dean W. R. Inge said of opinion: “Public opinion, a
vulgar, impertinent, anonymous tyrant who deliberately makes life
unpleasant for anyone who is not content to be the average man.”
So you, as a Seeker on the Path to the Light, and who is not the
average man or woman, should dismiss all opinionated men as if they
are of no consequence and value. In this manner can you make these
boors as impotent as eunuchs in a Harem.
The persons most vulnerable to ridicule are those filled with pride
and pretensions. We find these pride-filled scabs in all walks of life.
There is the prude who is proud of his purity; the prig who is proud
of his own behaviour; the racist who is proud of his own race; the fool
who is proud of his littleness. I am sure we all know such a person,
group of persons, race or nation, for these are not hard to find in this
world of ours. These fools advertise their folly by self-congratulation,
self-righteousness, flag-waving, and by a sorry lack of humour where
it concerns themselves, their possessions, or their station in life.
All (and the majority of mankind are guilty) forget that the Gods
giveth and the Gods taketh away. Nothing, either good or bad, can be
achieved without their intervention and assistance.
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H. P. Blavatsky, the great 19th Century
occultist and teacher said: “Self-
congratulation is like unto a lofty tower,
up which a haughty fool has climbed.
Thereon he sits in prideful solitude and
is unperceived by any but himself.”
You can recognize the truly great persons by their quiet dignity and
their lack of empty boasts, for they have no need of pretence, being
already in possession of that which the stupid person pretend to be in
possession of — perfect accomplishment — and perfect
accomplishment in any field of endeavour is always to be admired.
One must stand in awe of a spider spinning his incomparable web, or
the artist who presents us with his peerless creations. Care and
devotion to any task or undertaking is always worthy of
commendation, and to be admired. By their works shall ye know
them! Not by their fair show (which Shakespeare claimed meant the
most deceit), nor by their riches, family name or university degrees;
for greatness can only be achieved by, and should only be admired
because of perfect accomplishment. “Whatever thy hand findeth to
do, do it with thy might.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).
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who are willing to pay this price for fame can
be witnessed in the world of entertainment
where, for a burst of applause and their
chance to appear on TV, they are willing to
degrade themselves to appeal to the very
basest emotions of their audience.
Eventually even the lowest and coarsest human must evolve; the
whips of experience will see to it. The Higher nature, which has up to
then been wilfully suppressed, will stir and make itself known.
Tenderness will flower in the once brutish heart and it will ache with
longing for its lost inheritance. Cruelty and fear, which are the signs
of a brute, will be replaced by compassion and faith.
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The critical time in which the search for the True Master begins, is
once we become aware of the stirrings of the Higher Mind. Of such
awakened souls there are very few at all times and strength is needed
for such in order to withstand the misapplied encouragement of the
multitude who would dearly want these souls to join them in their pit
of manifold deceptions.
This is why I encourage you to stand alone; to hold fast to your inner
urgings, and not allow yourself to be sidetracked by the gaudy
swagger and the vulgar sideshows of the high-plumed fool. Place not
your aching heart in the care of scoundrels who would have you pay
for the ‘privilege’ of having your intelligence insulted.
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Serpents of Wisdom
Part 2
La Rochefoucauld in his Maxims said that: “The desire of appearing
clever often prevents us from becoming so.” As Students of the
Mysteries we must rid ourselves of the silly habit of pretending to
know so that we can, at last, find out what it was we never did know.
Even an old Indian I once knew, Sidemeat Cholly, got confused by all
the conflicting theories and had to come up with his own answer to
the question under discussion: “Before he discover th’ earth,
everybody thought he was flat, but this Columbus man, he say th’
worl’s roun’, but now he look like th’ dam thing is crooked.” Which
one of us would care to argue with this profound observation?
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Humanity, the great ignoble vulgus, has never quite been able to see
the trees for the forest (or the forest for the trees); the visible has
always stood in the way of the great invisible, blocking our view of
things as they actually are. Arthur Machen, who has been dubbed the
Apostle of Wonder, wondered at length about this perplexing human
condition:
“All manner of things may be under the eyes of men through long
ages, and yet be unperceived, undiscerned by them. This is true, and
yet these things are none the less there.”
The reason for this is that our opinions, intellect and bigotry act as a
screen between us and Illumination. Our own reality, which is
nothing but an Illusion, prevents us from seeing things as they truly
ARE, and as long as we think we see all there is to see, we will
remain blind to the Divine Wisdom hidden directly under our noses.
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Sir Isaac Newton, that great and true scientist, echoed the same
thought when he said: “I do not know
what I may appear to the world, but to
myself I seem to have been only like a
boy playing on the sea-shore, and
diverting myself in now and then
finding a smoother pebble or a prettier
shell than ordinary, whilst the great
ocean of truth lay all undiscovered
before me.”
If you tell these covetous lower minds, with great authority and
tongue in cheek, that you have discovered a secret which did not sink
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with ancient Atlantis; that this secret can give them unlimited power,
which, in turn, can be used as a tool for amassing all kinds of earthly
rubbish, you might discover to your surprise that you will be believed
and recompensed by an army of dolts.
Few people realize that the greatest secret is free and easily obtained.
Eliphas Levi explains:
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phone book, for all the understanding they have; but THEY don’t
know, and to tell them would only bring the wrath of the Four Beasts
of the Apocalypse down upon your head. I suggest that we should be
wary of this kind of dogmatist; as weary as Shakespeare was when he
wrote that: “The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.”
Never mind that their chemical putrefactions have put the whole
planet in danger, and that the ozone layer looks more like a moth-
eaten sweater....let’s take their advice on diet instead!
Let us take time out to wonder with Machen again: “It is monstrous
indeed that science, shown to be mad in the abstract, should presume
to dictate to us in the concrete. Yet it does. Look at the solemn diets
that are prescribed. I have known people who live — or think they
live, for they are not alive — on nuts, carrots, bread and dates. This
diet is supposed to be a cure for rheumatism. I do not know whether
a wise man would not prefer to be rheumatic. But the worst of it is
that people who live in this ridiculous way, who follow the Vague
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Treatment, as it is called, affect airs of superiority. They look down
on the people who eat chops and steaks and thank God for them.”
‘Exact science’ and her scientists, like a harlot and her pimps, rapes
the world daily in an orgy of vulgarity, seducing the superficial
masses with honeyed tongues and ostentatious booty, luring our
testosterone poisoned leaders into buying themselves the largest
lingam of them all — the nuclear missile. These odious transactions
can be written off to ‘progress’ or ‘civilization’, but I have it on good
authority that they are not tax free.
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their researches into nuclear energy. Fulcanelli said that “the work
you and your colleagues are undertaking is appallingly dangerous. It
imperils not only yourself — it is a threat to the whole of humanity.
The liberation of atomic energy is easier than you think, and the
radioactivity produced can poison the atmosphere of the entire planet
in the space of a few years”.
But here I must sound a warning: Peace within is not the same as
undisturbed tranquillity, which is by no means the lot of the genuine
student of the Mysteries. In order to gain sufficient knowledge and
wisdom they have to plunge into the thick of the fray, and overcome
all obstacles: only by such means can they achieve VICTORY. One
cannot win a battle without engaging the enemy! And the enemy of
Peace is dark ignorance, creating tornadoes of turmoil and chaos
wherever it touches down.
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There exists an illusory peace as witnessed by those who spend their
lives meditating upon their navels, with vacuous smiles upon their
faces....while others feed them!
Nor can peace be attained by blotting out our feelings. One must learn
to master and subdue the lower emotions, it is true, but one must be
careful not to kill them out, for the emotions are the true steeds which
will one day wing you up to Heaven. But be assured: Peace can be
attained midst the roar of battle!
Peace will not take up residence in an ascetic, for his heart is cold and
chilly, and bereft of generosity. His mind too is narrow and lacks
either material or spiritual vision.
God gave the lush fruits of this lovely earth to man, that he may
savour and enjoy their goodness: only when he abuses such gifts with
excesses do these bounties become a yoke and a burden, crushing him
to the ground.
Akbar Khan in his Tasawwuf-i Azim says that: “The only discipline
worth while is that which is achieved in the midst of temptation. A
man, who, like the anchorite, abandons the world and cuts himself off
from temptations and distractions cannot achieve power. For power is
that which is won through being wrested from the midst of weakness
and uncertainty. The ascetic living a wholly monastic life is deluding
himself.”
These ascetics are not necessarily just the fanatics from Eastern
countries, but also those from the western world who avoid things,
thinking in their ignorance that there is virtue in avoidance.
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preach tirelessly against the evils of tobacco, boring all smokers to
death with self-righteous sermons. It is as if they are saying to
themselves, “If I am miserable, I am going to make everybody else
miserable too.”
Only the few are capable of carrying out their convictions quietly and
on their own — be it the decision to become an ex-meat eater, an ex-
smoker, or an ex-anything else in the world. These ex-humans do not
seem to feel satisfied until they have made everyone else feel guilty
for not being as ‘noble’ as they think themselves. These are the true
communists who think that their propaganda, like manure, will do no
good unless it is spread abroad. To all these folks, let us say as the
conductor said to the tuba player who played a loud and wrong note
during rehearsals: “Thank you. And now will you please pull the
chain.”
A true Master is filled with luxury: the luxury of the Spirit. His joy
and sense of humour is infectious, giving you a foretaste of a Higher
Realm filled with celebration and poignant jubilation. From him you
will learn to appreciate the perfume of ripely rounded roses, the lusty
odour of a library filled with old, leather bound books, the taste of
vintage wine, the feel to the touch of an ancient statue, and the sound
of heavenly music, and yet he will teach you how to value these
things according to their worth.
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enlightenment from the Soul. He is a warm and magnetic human
being who knows All, yet does not let on that he Knows. He does not
boast or preach, nor does he judge.
You will not find him giving talks to groups of mystery-mongers and
half-witted new agers; but he will reserve his wisdom and the Holy
Teachings for his chosen few, those he
deems teachable. He knows that talking
to a fool is like pouring water into a
sieve; once he has finished talking, not a
drop remains in their Swiss-cheese
brains. It would be as futile as reading
H. P Blavatsky’s Secret Doctrine to a
herd of cows, or sending your pet parrot
to Mecca for the Pilgrimage. It may
come home screeching “Allahu Akbar!”
every couple of minutes, but it would
not comprehend what it was saying. (It
reminds us of a few people we know, don’t you agree?)
At all times there are Masters walking among you, and simple though
they are to know, people know them not, for the material rubbish that
fill their hearts and minds acts as a veil to conceal the Master’s Light.
The majority prefer the showmanship of the false teacher, for he will
pamper their vanity and puff up their pigeon chests with pride. Verily,
I say unto you, they have their reward!
May the Lords of Life and Light bless and keep the Masters, and give
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them Peace and a Secret Place to be, safe from the ignorant masses
who cannot bear the Light.
When the experiences of life have tried and tested you until you are
on the brink of despair; and when an indescribable sorrow and an
intense longing for, you know not what, oppresses you; then you will
know that the time has come. But as the old Persian poet said: “Under
the Sun and stars there is no saying, or no fool or wise man, that is
nearer to the Truth than that now is the appointed time. But it may be
the time for waiting. And it may be the time for patience. When I said
to my Teacher: Tell me what to do now, I will do it....he went fishing.”
Stop looking for a quick fix and cultivate patience, for a patient
person is someone who is filled with trust that their needs will be met;
and we all know (or do we?) that Faith is the substance of things
hoped for; the evidence of things not yet seen.
Assuming that you were careless enough to tell your friends that you
planned to spend years in search of the Truth, they would probably
accuse you of being eccentric and irresponsible. Who needs time
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wasted on all that mystical mumbo-jumbo when one could be earning
money? Or partying? Or working out? Yes! This is the average
modern man or woman; the proud product of western civilization.
Eliphas Levi says that, “Such men will never understand anything of
Occult (occult means ‘hidden’) philosophy; and it is for them alone
that it remains occult. As occult as common sense for the fanatics of
the world; as occult as reason for the truly mad.
“He is blind who does not see it; but he is all the more blind who
claims to see it by night!
“Never will the stupid and the vulgar comprehend the high wisdom
of the Magi!”
And never should the stupid and vulgar meddle with the Holy
Teachings, but go out and enjoy themselves instead. And neither
should you try to convert them, like some common Christian
missionary, but keep silent about what you know. But when the
Seeker after knowledge comes forward; after he is tested to discover
if he is worthy, he will be spoken to. When a person is ready to enter
the Light, the Higher Powers will lead him to it.
However, for as long as vanity and pride rules over the love of Truth,
33
the lamp will be hidden under the bushel and he will not be
considered ready. It takes strength and courage to walk along the
steep and thorny Path of Truth, and he will only make it who has not
brought along the baggage of the vain.
The sooner delusions are shattered, the better; for only then can we
begin our first testing step on the journey to the Light and the Truth.
The first step is an important one, in that it is the beginning of the
journey of a thousand miles, and we can only go on once we have
decided to take the first step. Nobody can make this journey on your
behalf; you have to travel the road yourself, because only personal
experience will do. To listen to another’s tales of the marvels he saw
and the things he experienced, is not the same as living through the
experience yourself. You may heed another traveller’s advice as to
the pitfalls on the journey, if you first make sure that he actually
undertook the journey himself, and did not bring you second-hand
information and heresy.
34
Initiates, and with the aid of their delirious imaginations, have added
fictions of their own and subtracted the marrow of Truth, in an
attempt to impress the credulous masses with their hand-me-down
and faded tales. Any fool can gather knowledge (or have it stuffed
down their throats); but the wisdom which is required to interpret
knowledge and use it, is something that each must learn for himself
in the school of existence. It is life and life experience which is the
great Initiator.
The timid and the faint-hearted who shy away from sounding the
depths of human suffering can never be of help to anyone, and would
probably stumble and fall over the first sharp stone on the Path. These
are the helpless, the feeble and the lukewarm, without faith and
courage, themselves in need of being saved from their miseries.
So who will tend to your battle-wounds? Only your own soul can do
that — only the Truth from your own soul. From now on the soul will
be your only friend and companion. This may seem like a lonely
proposition to some, and to those who are not in communion with
their souls, it will be just that. They will be far better off waiting until
35
life’s blows will have woken them up, before entering on the Sacred
Quest.
It is far better not to enter the maze of the Mysteries and try to solve
its riddles, only to backslide halfway through. If, by now, you feel
that the Path holds too many grave responsibilities, tests and trials,
not worth subjecting yourself to, I suggest you do like the old Wichita
Indian who joined the Seven Day Adventists. You cain’t beat ‘um if
you want smooth sailin’.
But if your decision is to stay the course, you cannot do better than to
imprint on yourself the first principles, for they are the most
important. Unless you build on a solid foundation, your castle will be
washed away by the first strong wave, it being built on shifting sands.
36
not suddenly come tumbling down; only untruth falls and leaves you
stranded without insurance and compensation. ‘tis is a chill wind that
blows at such times; and without Wisdom’s feathery wings to protect
you, where will you turn?
37
There are no short-cuts to the Masters; the one and only road is long
and full of responsibilities and infinite yearnings. It is a most severe
apprenticeship and can only be undertaken by a Seeker who has
questioned his heart and mind and has arrived at the conclusion that
he MUST. He will have to know, without a doubt, that it is the
ONLY PATH.
Maybe you had something quite different in mind? You may have
hoped for a life filled with tables rapping, bells tinkling mysteriously,
dollar bills materializing in your hand, letters delivered by magic,
spirit-writings, and secret hideaways in Tibet - all with which you
could dazzle and impress your friends.
38
human passions, when the enlightened Inner man had to either slay
them or fail. In the former case he became the ‘Dragon slayer’, as
having cast off his old skin and being born in a NEW body, becoming
a Son of Wisdom and Immortality in Eternity.”
This can be done by an exercise of the Will without which the Great
Work cannot be done. The Will is absolutely necessary in order to
affect a Mental Transmutation; and if you, by means of the Will,
‘separate the earth from the fire, the subtle from the gross, acting
prudently and with great judgement’ as we may read in the Emerald
Tablet of Hermes, you will produce pure gold. But this transmutation
cannot be performed by the idle, for it takes continual effort, great
skill, patience, a willingness to recognize error, and the courage to
continue with the great work even when all seems lost.
“To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna, and
I will give him a White Stone, and in the Stone a new name is written,
which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.” (Revelation 2:17)
39
Serpents of Wisdom
Part 3
Meditation on God’s works elevates the Spirit; and meditation on the
divine principles of Light, Life and Love, says Dr Michaud in Occult
Enigmas, “will carry you through life; no matter how hard it may
seem at times. You will find that your problems will be solved,
difficulties will melt away and help will come to you from the most
unexpected quarters.”
40
with the fact that they can even write the word in Sanskrit characters,
does not constitute a true understanding.
Let us listen to what Dr Michaud says on this matter in his book, The
Golden Star:
A–um is the sacred syllable, the triple-lettered unit; the Trinity in one.
In the Katha Upanishad it says that A–um is the word that the Vedas
glorify. This word is the everlasting Brahman; the highest End. When
this sacred word is known, all longings are fulfilled; supreme
salvation is yours and you will be considered great in heaven of
Brahman. This obviously does not mean that it is enough to know the
word A–um or Om superficially. To know a few letters or characters
strung together, Sanskrit or not, holds no magic or enlightenment in
itself, but it does as a sacred symbol.”
41
Simplicity is to be desired in our Quest for Truth, but to hang the
Sanskrit characters A–U–M on a chain around your neck, without
knowing why, is the wrong kind of simplicity: the kind which will not
open the gates to the Heaven of Brahman, but may instead leave you
wandering helplessly about in the Astral Realms of Illusion; or
perhaps in the Tibetan Realm of the Densely-Packed, until the time
comes for another reincarnation on Earth.
In The Golden Star, we may read that: “It is only by intelligent and
expert manipulation of Natural and Universal Principles that any
spiritual or material results can be achieved. Such knowledge can
only be attained under the wise guidance of masterly men who know
the Laws underlying such Principles. Such Teachers are found mostly
in the Great Mystic and Occult Schools or Orders of which there are
still a few in the present world. But let all beware of the little cliques,
circles and furtive ‘meetings’ of self-proclaimed ‘masters’, who have
neither authority, training or knowledge, except the cunning to fleece
the aspirant who is misled by their bombastic claims.”
42
Orders are as well hidden as the First Matter of the Alchemists; the
profane and vulgar come into contact with their members regularly,
but because the sight of the masses has been sealed, they do not
recognize them and pass by blindly. “For God has blinded their minds
and made gross their senses, and left them to carry on their
experiments with all manner of false substances. Nor do they seem
able to perceive their error, or to be roused from their idle
imaginations by persistent failure.”
Fulcanelli said that: “No one may aspire to possess the Great Secret,
if he does not direct his life in accordance with the researches he has
undertaken. “It is not enough to be studious, active and persevering,
if one has no firm principles, no solid basis, if immoderate
enthusiasm blinds one to reason, if pride overrules judgement, if
greed expands before the prospect of a golden future.” Further on, in
his concluding remarks of his book Le Mystere des Cathedrales he
says: “The mysterious science requires great precision, accuracy and
perspicacity in observing the facts, a healthy, logical and reflective
mind, a lively but not over-excitable imagination, a warm and pure
heart. It also demands the greatest simplicity and complete
indifference with regard to theories, systems and hypotheses, which
are generally accepted without question on the testimony of books or
the reputation of their authors. It requires its candidates to learn to
think more with their own brains and less with those of others.
Finally, it insists that they should check the truth of its principles, the
knowledge of its doctrine and the practice of its operations from
nature, the mother of us all.”
43
This above all, to thine own self be true;
And it must follow, as night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
(Shakespeare)
This does not mean, as some may think, the same as the 20th Century
occultist Aleister Crowley’s famous injunction: ‘Do what thou wilt’,
which implies free license without regard of principles and the rights
of other people. There is a very great difference between doing what
we want and doing what we ought. The former kind of behaviour
belongs to the egoist, ruled by the lower mind, who feels no duty to
his fellow man nor his own Higher Mind. These are the strong in evil,
who, because of their strength, often rule and tyrannize their victims
— the masses who obey them out of spinelessness and fear. The main
bulk of humanity are made out of cowardly clay and the tyrant finds
little resistance when he wants to leave his heel print, for most people
will let him in order to save their own skins.
Hitler made the comment that: “How fortunate for leaders that men
do not think”, and the majority of rulers do what they will because the
ignorant dolts that go to make up the masses support and assist them.
We have all seen humanity, with their arms in the air, cheering and
approving of tyrants and debauched elected leaders. These images
should drive home to us the profound stupidity of the average man,
but they do not, for the masses of the world have learnt nothing and
are still just as easily swayed by these reprobates. After their heroes
fall, they make dog-eared excuses and slink away to glorify some
other malefactor.
44
The wise man, filled with a high sense of duty and justice, may do
anything he wants to do. He is free to be true to himself and need not
be controlled by earthly law, for he behaves with common sense
(which is not as common as one may think), and is a man of principle
and honour. This rare person, in his wisdom, is not influenced by the
customs, opinions and dogmas of an area or era, for he knows that
these things vary from country to country, religion to religion, person
to person, time to time, and therefore cannot be true. A wise man acts
on, and honours, only the Truth from his own Soul, which he receives
via his own awakened Higher Mind.
Being true to oneself is only possible for a person who is filled with
true morals, as opposed to the morals of churchianity. Guilt,
repentance and gnashing of teeth, as a result of our actions, will be a
thing of the past, for actions will be based on Wisdom and words will
be words of Truth; duties will be performed willingly and cheerfully,
in the knowledge that we are in the Service of the Masters. Truth will
shine in the Disciple’s heart like a brilliant beacon, and it will guide
and comfort him and benefit all those who come into contact with
him, whether they know it or not.
This is the only way to the Masters. The Way of Service. Remember
I said Service — not lip-service or self-service. If this is not
mysterious or glamorous enough for you, then go and chant some
Tibetan mantras, or channel some red Indian spirit-guide, until the
dreaded Karma slaps you round the ears.
45
insect; one who steals meat — a vulture; one who steals gems will
come back as a goldsmith, and so on and so forth. It would be
interesting to see what would be the fate of one who steals grain, meat
and gems, and who also had the misfortune of being a drunkard.
Would he come back as a bit of this and a bit of that? Similar to a patch
work quilt? Who knows the mysterious laws of Karma? I hesitate to
think what would happen to me if I killed a spider inhabited by a
wretched thief. Would I reincarnate as a thief perhaps? Then, because
I was a thief, would I have to be reborn as a spider? The plot thickens
and so does my confusion. Forgive me all you Karmic emanations
who actually live by this — I jest but not too irreverently.
Catholics have lived under the same yoke also, although they call it
by a different name - a more familiar name, perhaps? and that name
is GUILT. Guilt leads to fear, fear leads to cruelty, cruelty leads to
cowardice, and cowardice leads to inaction, which is the enemy of
spiritual growth. Karma is also reminiscent of revenge, and you
would be excused for thinking that the revengeful god of Moses had
a hand in the creation of karmic laws. To persons, armed with
precious common sense, it would be unthinkable that an all-wise, all-
powerful and loving God would resort to a noxious and hard-hearted
failing like revenge. To even think it is blasphemy. Karma is the
vicious circle of ‘an eye for an eye’, and was no doubt thought up by
some paltry Hindu ascetic who wanted everybody to be as miserable
as he was himself.
46
And what better way to enslave people than through guilt and fear?
In this way are the Holy Teachings manipulated, then as now, and
there are few, if any, that have not been tampered with in some way.
Crafty and power-hungry priests have always seen fit to interject fire
and brimstone into the original teachings of the Great Messengers, in
order to keep the flock in line. Just because a document or a teaching
is ancient, does not mean that it is necessarily sacred. There were just
as many scoundrels back in the days of yore, for it is true that human
nature does not change much. Let us therefore always use common
sense when we examine any works, ancient or modern.
47
I urge all honest Seekers to examine carefully all spiritual meals put
in front of them. Only when you are convinced that the food is not
spoiled or poisoned should you eat and digest it. Take the advice of
St. Paul who told us to prove all things; and only hold fast to that
which is good.
How will we know what is good? For a start, we should learn to tell
the difference between erroneous teachings designed to rob us of our
freedom (such as Karma) and the good philosophy that will free us
from the bonds of slavery. Secondly, we should look for simplicity.
There are some Students of the Mysteries who seem to imagine that
the more obscure the phraseology, the wiser the writer or philosopher.
And, as the Adept who wrote The New Chemical Light says: “Their
interpreters and commentators are more hopelessly unintelligible
even than their writers whom they take it upon themselves to explain;
their exposition is more difficult than the text.”
Once we have learnt to attune with all that is good and true, we will
draw the real Teachers and Masters to us, and according to Helvetius
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in ‘The Golden Calf’: “Blessed is he to whom some Adept graciously
flings wide the gates of knowledge, and to whom the golden road of
the King is thus manifested!”
49
I have met ‘reincarnations’ of Ramesses,
Merlin, Pythagoras, and Plato, all
stripped of their former grandeur, and
sadly devolved both intellectually and
spiritually into something reminiscent of
what the dog dragged in. I have also met
a peculiar person who claimed he
channeled Horus. Strange, because even
though he had such a wise and Holy
Being on ‘the other end of the line’, he
failed to ask Him wise questions, and I
might add, the answers were as dim as
the medium, causing me to suspect that
the poor man mistook his own shadow
for Horus. This was probably just as
well, since the Light of Horus would
certainly have overpowered and blinded
the poor wretch in his present state. And,
of course, since nobody wants to be
outdone by all this psychic power, or to
be thought of as unblessed or unchosen, we witness women of a
certain age tell stories of Masters materializing at night in the ladies’
bedrooms. Ya Allah!! Let us all hope, for the Masters’ sakes, that
these women were decently attired in long flannelette nightgowns for
the duration of the visits.
These impostors are unaware of the fact that there are, at times, true
Initiates in their midst, capable of seeing right through their dark
deceptions and into their very souls. As Levi says: “How pitiable are
men in their ignorance, but how they would despise themselves if
they only came to know.” There really is no substitute for the true
Master. He will not try to impress you with the rather childish and
crass fish-tales of the pretenders. He does not need to, for the true
Universal Laws in his possession far excel the fantasies of the wind-
50
bags in both wonder and beauty. If we want fairy tales, I suggest we
turn to Grimm or H.C. Anderson, for they were at least honest and
never claimed that their stories were anything but fiction.
Which will you choose? The Master or the charlatan? Let us listen to
the advice of Dr Michaud: “Man is free to choose both good and evil,
and is rewarded according to his choice. He is himself to blame for
all the grief and sorrow which is his self-engendered lot; for he has,
perhaps, in wilful ignorance and faulty trust, cohered with evil men,
being fascinated by their glamour, his lower self in full attunement
with their sin, thinking it good in his blindness and lack of true
perception. Or, being wholly good himself, he may in his innocence
have credited the evil man with good intentions, whilst the opposite
was true.”
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Serpents of Wisdom
Part 4
How different all this is from the ways of the Masters, the Initiates
and their Disciples!! Fulcanelli explains: “They are pledged to no
oath and bound together by no statute; their free will is subject to only
one rule voluntarily accepted and obeyed: the discipline of the
Hermetic Philosophy. They do not know one another, they have no
meeting place, no headquarters, no temple, no ritual, no exterior mark
by which they can be recognized. They were, and still are, lonely
workers scattered about the world, ‘cosmopolitan’ researchers in the
narrowest sense of the word. Since the Adepts were conscious of no
hierarchy, the Brotherhood was not looked upon as rank; to it they
dedicated their secret work, their experience, the positive Light that
had been revealed to them by a living Faith.”
It takes the kind of courage which can only come from true Faith, to
stand alone, apart from the crowd (that some mistakenly see as a
support group); to depart from all ceremonies, rituals and public acts
of devotion. Most humans have an irresistible need to show off to
others their accomplishments; and when they have no
accomplishments to justly announce, they tend to gravitate into the
spiritual zone where it is possible to claim unverifiable, nebulous
accomplishments. In their eagerness to ‘be thought somebody’, they
often associate with evil men who take advantage of their defect, and
who use them as instruments to spread their own rotten teachings.
You may reason that these cranks, holding their furtive, little
meetings, and giving their inane and boring talks, and writing their
sensational and superficial books, are not exactly evildoers. You
may, perhaps, find them harmless and well-intentioned, imagining
them to really be trying to bring enlightenment to us all. I shall give
you the answer of the Holy Hindu Saviour and Messenger, Krishna,
52
to such excuses, which you can read in The Book of Sa-Heti by J
Michaud PhD:
That this is true can be clearly seen when we discover the thousands
of books written, claiming to have ‘re-discovered’ (a strange term to
53
use for something that was never lost
but has always been in the keeping of
the Great Masters) the beliefs and
practices of the ancient Druids. The
public’s ferocious appetite for what is
given out as lost rites and magical
practices of the Druids is astonishingly
great, and considering the fact that a
Student at their Mystery Schools had to
spend more than twenty years
committing their Sacred Teachings to
memory, it is also astonishingly naive to imagine that we can learn
anything real from these cheap books. And since the Druids never put
their beliefs down in writing, we wonder from which stagnant pool
the authors of such books fished their inspiration.
54
All that is written about the Mystery Teachings of the Druids , the
wise Oak Men of old, is nothing but speculation and theory; and
sometimes not even theory but only crude invention. If you are
interested in reading about the history of the Celts, and about the
wisdom of their leaders, then read Pliny, who has much to say about
them, and who, after all, observed them at close range unlike the
modern day hallucinator.
The Druids are not the only ones being used as an instrument to line
the pockets of cunning malefactors; the Ancient Egyptians,
Scandinavians, Gnostics, the Popol Vuh of the Quiche Mayans along
with the Hermetic Teachings, have also been put to the same misuse.
55
mystery to be sought. The works themselves make it clear that one
cannot follow the Art from books alone, and that the would-be adept
must seek a Master in order to learn the secrets of the Art....”
Again we discover that the only way a Student of the Mysteries can
find his way through the maze, is with the aid of a kindly Master. All
else is worthless opinion, vain assumptions and empty conceit, being
based on error and ignorance.
I have heard it said that the peoples of this world are becoming more
aware and spiritual; that after the turn of the Century (this was written
in 1994 — Ed) we will yet again celebrate the arrival of the New
Golden Age. Between then and now, a variety of disasters such as
56
earthquakes, volcanic outbreaks, wars, etc....all culminating in the
shifting of the poles, have been predicted to take place. I cannot speak
for the disasters, but will leave such things to the Great Powers whose
work it is to visit on us such events as will benefit our growth,
although I do have doubts as to the early arrival of the Golden Age.
We are at the moment about 5000 years into the Kali Yuga age. It is
the fourth and last age, and according to the Vishnu Purana, it is “an
age of misery, misfortune and decrepitude”. The ancient Hindu
Cycles states that the Kali Yug will take 432,000 years to work itself
out. This means that we still have 427,000 years remaining of this
dark age, and, of course, just as many years before the arrival of the
next Golden Age. In The Book of Sa-Heti mentioned earlier, there is
a prophecy concerning the Kali Yuga which runs as follows:
“The whole world will be in turmoil. There will be rulers upon the
earth of churlish spirit, violent temper, and ever addicted to falsehood
and wickedness. They will inflict death upon women and children,
size the property of their subjects; they will be of limited power, their
lives will be short and their desires insatiable. People of various
countries will mingle with them and follow their example; the people
will perish, wealth and piety will decrease until the world will be
wholly depraved. Property alone will confer rank; wealth will be the
only source of devotion; passion will be the sole bond of union
between the sexes; falsehood will be the only means of success in
litigation; and women will be objects merely of sensual gratification,
and external types will be the only distinction of the several orders of
life. A rich man will be considered pure; dishonesty will be the
universal means of subsistence; weakness the cause of dependence;
menace and presumption will be substituted for learning; liberality
57
will be devotion; mutual assent, marriage; fine clothes, dignity. He
who is the strongest will reign; the people, unable to bear the heavy
burdens will flee; thus decay will constantly proceed, until the human
race approaches annihilation.”
These are the reasons why the Disciple on the Path to the Light has a
duty to keep the Flame alive for their brethren — for the few who are
getting weary and who are earnestly searching for a better way. The
merely curious will fall away of their own accord, returning to the
manifold deceptions of the New Age with its various cults, sects and
personalities. This is an age when we make horrible wars on one
another, not to establish justice on earth, but out of greed for wealth
and lust for power. We imagine we are no longer savage, that we are
sophisticated and progressive, educated and civilized. We smile
condescendingly at our forefathers with their Pyramids, hieroglyphs,
works of art, manifold Gods, sacred writings and ‘heathen’ beliefs;
replace it all with skyscrapers, modern art, psychiatry, television, cars
and atom bombs — and curiously call it progress. We stress the
importance of education for all — and we seem to have — in the
words of Machen, “the crazy notion that a man who can read a book
is educated, while a man who cannot read is uneducated.” He goes on
to say: “It would be, perhaps, too much to say that education in any
real sense is utterly impossible at the present day. It must be a work
of enormous difficulty; for true teaching that can be given from books
or from word of mouth is straightaway contradicted and annulled by
the whole atmosphere and circumstance of modern life. How can we
truly learn beauty if our days are passed for the most part in a horrible
orgy of hideousness and corruption? How can we expect a factory
hand to realize the beauty, the wonder, the mystery of anything
58
whatever when his whole life is passed in some soul-and-mind and
body destroying occupation; when his daily work is hardly more
intelligent than that of the cogs and endless bands and poison vats
which he has to supervise — and his only holiday is made up of a
nightmare, washed down with much adulterated beer? A man who
lives such a life can see nothing and understand nothing; he has, not
by his own fault, but by the fault of his master and spiritual teachers,
fallen again from Paradise; and, so far as one can see, his one idea of
happiness is to turn out his master and become a master himself —
which is about as foolish and futile as if one proposed to regenerate
America by seeing that every adult citizen became a millionaire. One
discovers but little hope for such men as these; and the so-called
education that is given them is probably but the adding of fuel to the
flames of their burning — it is a giving of a picture gallery to a blind
man. It has been shown again and again that the result of more than
fifty (at the time Machen was writing) years’ compulsory ‘education’
has been the creation of a race of ferocious and degraded hooligans.”
59
There are many who long for beauty and justice but feel
overwhelmed by the corruption and the evil in the world, and are at a
loss as to how to even begin to make a difference. They feel
powerless against the self-serving system, and after a few futile
attempts at being heard, they give up, forgetting that without the help
of the Higher Powers, little, if anything can be achieved. Whereas, if
a person approaches the Holy Beings with petitions for help or
guidance with a sincere and trusting heart, their prayers will be
answered. There are specific ways of doing this and I will give you
one of the ways of the Masters of Wisdom:
“To address the Higher beings you must never kneel down; for the act
of kneeling down lowers the whole attitude of the petitioner, and
brings him in attunement with the lower worlds of beings; with the
material, or even lower. Therefore, the supplicant should stand
upright, with arms crossed over the breast and one hand resting
lightly on each shoulder. He should look UP. Furthermore, he should
address his petition silently and mentally; for the spoken word issues
from within outwards, and as soon as it is uttered it flows into the
material realms of illusion and is lost there. It can then have material
results only and, at the worst, they may be dire in the extreme, or
being answered with satanic laughter by the lower elementals if the
prayer should be in connection with Spiritual conditions. The only
powers that can be addressed with the spoken word are the dark
beings, or the material. In order to petition the Divine denizens of the
Spiritual Realms, the prayer should be from without inwards; from
the material to the Spiritual. That is the only way in which such
prayers will reach the goal for which they are intended. At the same
time, the supplicant should raise up his thoughts. They should go
inwards and upwards, and always silently.
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“Life, Light and Love,
May the Spirit of Goodness reach out into all Space.
May the positive POWERS of these Principles
Overcome all negative conditions.
And may Peace Profound reign everywhere.
So mote be it.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
“Face the East when doing this, and do it as many times each day and
night as you wish. This will help the world in general, for you will
attune with the Great White Brotherhood of all the Divine and
Spiritual Entities; and they will HEAR you and ACT.”
These are the Teachings of a truly Great Master on how to Send Forth
the Light to combat the evil in this world. We are never alone, for
there are always Divine Beings nearby, waiting to help us; but we
have to approach them, of our own free will, before they can come to
our assistance. For as long as we imagine we can do it unaided, our
conceit will bar all communications with the Spiritual Realms, and
the only ‘inspiration’ we receive will be from the lower beings who
take delight in misleading and destroying all that is good and true.
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mistaken belief that they are virtuous in their apathy. But virtue can
not rise out of inertia and a dull person can never become a magician.
We have to meet life head on, conquer life’s obstacles through will-
power and act as one who desires goodness. The human will grows
through usage and adversity, for adversity is the creator of the will, in
the same way as shadow or darkness is the creator of the Light.
Therefore adversity and darkness are not evils visited upon us in
order to confound us, but are instead tools to be used to enable us to
grow towards the Goodness of the Light.
All genuine mystics love action; for they, above all other people
realize that what they see they can never obtain unless they do what
they can to raise themselves, step by step, to become nobler. Learn to
enjoy a challenge, for without this drive you will complacently ‘chew
the cud’ with the rest of the herd. This is one of the reasons why
Karma should be abolished, for it leads to dread of action, making a
person hesitant to move for fear of doing something wrong. Thus,
Karma becomes the avoidance of adversity; the very adversity
needed for the removal of ignorance and the growth of the all-
important will. Levi states that: “Every man is either good or bad. No
middle course is possible. The indifferent, the lukewarm are not
good; they are consequently bad, and the worst of all bad, for they are
imbecile and cowardly. The battle of life is like a civil war; those who
remain neutral betray both parties alike, and renounce the right to be
numbered among the children of the fatherland.”
Only a person who is bold and fearless in the face of adversity, will
be counted among the faithful. Such a one will know that the Lords
of Life and Light assists and protects the warrior who fights with the
Sword of Righteousness and who never allows the worm of doubt to
live, or for sleep to overtake his wakefulness. This is the Child of
Light who rises from the ashes of ignorance, like the Phoenix, and
flies off on wings of truth towards the Light.
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“I am the Lion-god coming forth with extended strides.
I have shot arrows and wounded the prey.
I am the Eye of Horus.
I have conquered.
Let the Osiris Ani advance in Peace.”
(Egyptian Ritual)
When the Masters say action, they do not mean that you should toil
and sweat until you drop. To labour like a cart-horse in order to keep
a business going or to make a fortune, is wrong, for what is a man
profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? We
have all come across the pitiful slaves who work all day and often far
into the night, seven days a week, in order to hang unto their position
in life; climbing executive ladders, driving bargains, peddling,
soliciting, hawking, canvassing, bidding and thieving, simply to get
rich. To watch these mortals, whipped by greed and ambition, half
dead from their feverish efforts, is a deplorable sight. They toil and
grind, drudge and slave, as if driven by the demon himself - like
berserkers with work-assignments from Niflheim. And for what?
Some miserable earthly ‘kingdom’ they never even have the time to
enjoy! If we put all our time and effort into building a material
empire, and then, as life goes, we happen to lose it all, what will we
have left? As Al-Ghazali states: “You possess only whatever will not
be lost in a shipwreck.”
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to strive too much to gain the things which are beyond our reach; and
if we strive too much to gain the things which are not for us, we may
lose the things that were intended for us.
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And we all talk nonsense most of the time, and if we are without
vanity we will admit to it and laugh about it; but if we are wrapped
up in self-love and pride, we will take offence at others lightly
brushing aside our ‘deep and profound’ statements. Our feelings will
be hurt and we sulk like spoiled children who, momentarily, are not
getting the attention we feel is rightfully ours. Whereas, Wisdom
brings joy, and when you are filled with joy, you can afford to bring
humour and laughter into your life. A sense of humour is the mark of
the Sage, but solemnity is the mark of a Fool.
Be Free and Live! Forget all about the bigots who damns you to hell
for not believing as they do. Their opinions are mean-spirited and
irrelevant and their eagerness to condemn you for ‘behaving badly’ is
great. They will make you a ‘sinner’ for a word, and their boasts
about morals, doctrines and diets should be esteemed no higher than
you would a braying ass. What they say, let them say. Epictetus told
us that if a man is unhappy, it is his own fault, for God made all men
to be happy. And J Michaud adds to this: “There is no absurdity
which has not its defender. If the absurdity be too stupid it will
destroy itself in the end, and there is no need to worry about it. But
good fun, which keeps young the heart and mind, is like true virtue:
we cannot do without it, and it will keep people away from vice.” The
same writer, in The Teachings of Li Wang Ho, says: “Happiness is an
Illusion. Sorrow is an Illusion. Better be deluded by happiness.” A
person who is always depressed, serious or angry, is unbalanced and
lacks faith in the protection that comes from the Higher Powers to
one who puts his trust in God. Dr Michaud also asks: “Have you
come to the blessed realization that nothing can hurt you if you have
faith in God’s love? Have you not come through countless
incarnations and is it not true that nothing can destroy the eternal you
that is part of God the Father? Then why be anxious, or have fear?”
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counsellor, or whatever else one should
wish to call these busybodies, with all
our real and imagined problems. From
them, we learn to shift the blame for our
own weaknesses over to such
absurdities as co-dependencies —
whatever that is. We learn to call
ourselves dysfunctional when we
indulge in bad, criminal, or just plain
stupid behaviour. These doctors of the
mind flourish in spite of the fact that
they understand nothing of the human
mind; treating the effects they see with theories that have sprung out
of guesswork, and not even good guesswork on the whole. They do
not understand that a person has a Higher and a lower mind, nor do
they understand the battles fought between these two opponents.
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thus, when he has gone astray somehow, help will always be sent to
lift him up again; for the Gods are terribly patient. By avoiding evil
to the best of his ability, he will keep the mirror of his heart clean, and
the ever-loving Sons of Light will do the rest; for they understand:
having once been frail men themselves. If mankind would only
realize this truth, they would strive with all their might to rise to all
that is good, loving, and merciful. Then the world would at once
become an Earthly Paradise, and the human wolves, jackals and
tigers which now abound would lay themselves down by the side of
the meek and lowly, and turn their ferocious will to the purpose of
helping their Brethren instead of destroying them.”
Let us ask the Master Li Wang Ho if this will ever come to pass:
“The Great Message has rung forth many times, and those who have
listened have been saved. It is the newcomers, who have but lately
evolved from the Shadows, who must ever be taught anew. The True
Teachings should never cease; nor would they if all men were always
ready to receive them, but all have to learn their lessons in the hard
school of the material before they can ascend to the spiritual. After
each period of darkness appears a Torch-Bearer who is willing to
sacrifice himself in order to bring to Man the Holy Illumination of
Truth; and those who are sufficiently evolved will hear and follow.”
Idries Shah, in his book Learning how to Learn, says: “You ask how
studies deteriorate. One of the causes is the sheer weight of numbers
of deluded or superficial people who demand ‘deep or ‘spiritual
knowledge’. They create a supply-and-demand situation which can
cause so much imitation of teaching and learning that the studies’
imitation is taken for the real.” Although the esoteric Teachings of the
Masters never deteriorate, metaphysics or the occult, in an exoteric
sense, has turned into a sideshow of freaks; and it is to be hoped that
one of their hideous little Aliens will arrive in a gigantic spaceship
and whisk these mystery-mongers away to some remote planet, re-
named Abracadabra in their honour.
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Imitation is always dressed up in confused and fantastic sounding
teachings which take their students along roads that lead nowhere,
and where, eventually, detours will have to be made, and other roads
tried. This type of seeker will normally choose the broad highways
thronged with other seekers like themselves, and who entice them
with loud boasts, loud music, and cheap thrills. Few, if any, notice the
narrow, little dirt road, covered in sharp rocks, leading off to the side.
Nobody stands at its entrance advertising its glorious Destination; it
has no arrow pointing to it and no street sign has been afforded this
simple Path. Its virtue can only be understood by those whose Higher
Minds have become active. These Seekers will gratefully separate
from the crowd and start their lonely journey along what at first
seems an uninviting and testing path. Only their Faith keeps them
moving forward until all the tests of the Path have been overcome,
and until the day arrives when they can be Initiated with the Light.
These Initiates will then know that only the simple Truth can stand
unadorned by worldly opinion, human reasoning and vain intellect —
all empty glories which feed off the approval, applause, and flattery
of those whom Shakespeare called ‘the plumeless genus of bipeds’.
The things that are most hidden and unperceived by the majority, are
often those we see, handle, and experience on a regular basis; as, for
example, the apple must have dropped on countless heads before it
fell on Newton’s. We are told by the Alchemists that we come into
contact with the Mercury of the Sages, the Prima Materia, in our daily
lives, and yet, its virtue goes undiscovered by scientists, priests, and
housewives alike, and is revealed only to the Chosen of God.
We need not go to the mysterious and exotic for our answer; neither
do we need to have enough money to travel to faraway Tibet, India,
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or Egypt. We do not need to be titled or to have a University degree;
nor do we need to go to California to attend New-Age workshops, or
to go to some ‘soul retreat’ to have our brains pickled by charlatans
— for Thoth and the Seven Divine Masters of Wisdom made the
secret accessible to all, and the Keys to the Temple are intricately
simple to find.
Let us start by examining the last question: What are the Veils? The
Veils are ‘hung up’ by that master draper, the lower mind: layer upon
layer of it. These layers consists of: Opinion, Hatred, Cruelty, Greed,
Envy, Intolerance, Vanity, Pride, Credulity, Jealousy, Materialism,
Lust, Self-righteousness, Judgement of others....need I go on?
These are the traits of the lower mind and as long as these are allowed
to master us, they will shut out the Light from our Higher Mind. The
Veils are our lower emotions and passions, and unless we can
transmute these into the Virtues of the Higher Mind by means of
Mental Alchemy, we shall continue to exist as blobs of the base and
lacklustre metals. Our minds will be rusted, stiff and opinionated
iron; our hearts will be cold and cruel steel; and we will drag our
heavy, leaden feet through our self-created spiritual swampland,
trying all the while to keep from sinking into the slime.
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But when the time comes that you are guided by your Higher Self,
answers to seemingly unsolvable questions will come. The lower
mind with its incessant chatter and tyrannical self-interest will be
stilled, powerless against the patient and loving rule of the Higher
Mind who guides with Justice and Mercy. At such a time, the Cabala
will yield its secrets to you; the Druids will invite you to drink from
their Cauldron; St John will let you share his Revelation; the Sphinx
will tell you all that she had witnessed; Osiris will free your limbs
from the mummy-cloth, and Thoth-Hermes will write your name in
the Scroll of Life.
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When you have fought the lower emotions and won, you will be the
Victorious Warrior of Light who draws forth the Sword of
Righteousness from the Stone; the Excalibur of Wisdom which, here
on Earth, should be used to protect the weak, the poor, the sick and
the needy, and also as a pointer to direct other worthy Seekers to the
Path of the Masters. Never again will you have to ask: who, where
and what are the Masters, for you will KNOW. And your reunion will
be celebrated with tears of joy and laughter; and as the great poet
Shelley said: ‘tis something sadder, sweeter far than all.
It is fitting that I should end with the words of a truly Great Soul —
J Michaud PhD — whose wise words have been quoted throughout
this little patchwork quilt.
“Brothers and Sisters: A great work is waiting for you all. It is the
work of the true mystic, it is the work of the Great White Brotherhood.
It is the work of the Adepts who by means of consistent self-
development, have fitted themselves in the ruling of the world. But it
is not necessary for us to rule the world from a throne, or by means of
dictatorship. We must rule the world by love and service. That is our
work. The preparation for this need neither be long or arduous; all that
you need is goodwill, and persistence; and Love. And the result of this
work to you will also be the power to control forces both in the
spiritual and physical realm. The Masters will impart to you wisdom
by communion and inspiration; which is otherwise unobtainable.
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And their protecting hand will be over you and they will cover you
with their feathery wings and keep you from all harm. As the Master
says:....and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
“If you do all these things there will at times shine from you a light
such as you see in the famous picture ‘The Presence’; a light that is
not of this earth but of the celestial realms where is the House of the
Father, the House with many mansions. You yourself will become a
Presence, and even if your light cannot be seen, it will be felt; for it
can never be entirely hidden.”
“May we all receive grace to be found worthy for this great work, and
may the blessings of Light, Life and Love be with you now and for
ever and bring you Peace Profound.”
AMEN.
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