-Caveat Lector- from: http://www.prs.org/ <A HREF="http://www.prs.org/">(Philosophical Research Society)</A> ----- The Philosophical Research Society was founded in 1934 by Manly P. Hall (1901-1990), and has been publishing classical works in the field of comparative religion and philosophy for over sixty years. Even before the current surge of interest in spiritual growth and personal enlightenment, Mr. Hall, whose writings are featured in this website, was keenly aware of the individuals need to explore the esoteric teachings of the worlds cultures and religious traditions. Humans have always struggled with questions of the meaning of life, the purpose of our existence, and the possibility of spiritual life beyond death. The author of more than two hundred volumes, Manly P. Hall was a philosopher of great vision and knowledge. He wrote prolifically on a vast array of subjects, including Western and Eastern religions and mysticism, classical philosophy, personal psychology, et cetera. Always his intention was to provide the student and seeker with insights which could be applied directly to his or her own life and to the benefit of humanity. The works described in this website probe life's mysteries and spiritual issues about which every inquisitive individual is concerned. Whether you are interested in creating a personal library of mankinds most penetrating philosophical insights or just beginning your own personal search for enlightenment, you will find these works featured herein invaluable. Now celebrating its 64th anniversary, the Philosophical Research Society is a leading center for the study and teaching of the world's essential and timeless wisdom traditions. At PRS, the boundaries between philosophy, religion and science, between East and West, give way to a greater vision of learning. The Philosophical Research Society 3910 Los Feliz Boulevard Los Angeles California USA Orders (800) 548 4062 Phone (323) 663 2167 Fax (323) 663 9443 Email:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ===== Manly P. Hall ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Founder of PRS The 1920s and 1930s were times of great religious, philosophical, and spiritual renewal and discovery in America-times much like our own. A number of outstanding teachers emerged from this period. In the minds of many, none stands above the figure of Manly P. Hall (1901-1990). Born on March 18, 1901 in Peterborough, Ontario, Mr. Hall was raised by his maternal grandmother who brought him to the United States when he was very young. From an early age, Mr. Hall studied the full range of the worlds ancient wisdom traditions. Unlike so many of his contemporaries, he concluded that wisdom was not to be found on only one path or in only one religion. Instead, he saw wisdom as the highest realm where philosophy, religion, and science come together without boundaries. Barely twenty years old, the gifted young man began his public career in the fall of 1920 when he was invited to speak to a small group in a room over a bank in Santa Monica, California on the subject of reincarnation. The following year he was asked to hold a lecture program in Los Angeles and continued teaching and writing for another six decades. He showed thousands how a powerful and universal wisdom could be found in the myths, mysteries, and symbols of the ancient Western mystery teachings and how to embody this wisdom in their own lives. Once when a young student asked him to autograph one of his books, he wrote the following: "To learn is to live, to study is to grow, and growth is the measurement of life. The mind must be taught to think, the heart to feel, and the hands to labor. When these have been educated to their highest point, then is the time to offer them to the service of their fellowman, not before." Mr. Hall always felt that before the student could embark on an esoteric career, they must first build a sound and sane personality from which to launch such an endeavor, this he explains in his book, Self Unfoldment By Disciplines of Realization. His first publications were two small pamphlets, The Breastplate of the High Priest and Wands and Serpents. (These are still in print as part of a booklet entitled Symbolic Essays). Two books he wrote in the early 1920s, The Lost Keys of Freemasonry and The Ways of the Lonely Ones, are also available and have enjoyed numerous reprintings through the years. During this period Mr. Hall began planning his large volume on symbolical philosophy, The Secret Teachings of All Ages. He traveled extensively in 1923 and 1924, visiting many great cultural centers in Europe, Asia, and Egypt. A favorite place of Mr. Halls for searching out rare and ancient wisdom texts was the British Museum in London. "The great center of learning in England is the British Museum, with its miles of bookcases, which caused De Quincy to sit and weep because he could not read all the volumes. In order to gain access to the two principal departments of the museum-one of rare books, and the other of manuscripts-it was necessary to be appropriately sponsored. I had the good fortune of becoming acquainted with General Sir Francis Younghusband, the man who led the British expedition into Tibet in 1903-1904, and camped his army at the foot of the Potola at Lhasa. While dining one day at the Officers Club, Sir Francis confided to me that he was known as the conqueror of Tibet, but he regarded this as a dubious honor. The real fact, he said, was that Tibetan religion and philosophy had conquered him. A note from Sir Francis immediately gave me admission to the most valuable parts of the British Museum, and I was able to examine the originals of many of the worlds most priceless books and manuscripts." (from the PRS Journal Winter 1959) These travels strengthened his convictions about the importance of comparative religion and deepened his understanding of significant contributions made in the interest of human spiritual evolution. Immediately upon his return, he set seriously to work on his encyclopedic outline of the Western esoteric tradition, which describes in some detail the most ancient theory of education which was in the keeping of the Mystery schools. It took Mr. Hall six years to complete the work on the book and raise the enormous sum of $100,000 in 1928 necessary to print the first edition. During this time he had a brief career on Wall Street, the outstanding event of which was witnessing a man depressed over investment losses take his own life, of this period he wrote. "My fleeting contact with high finance resulted in serious doubts concerning business as it was being conducted at that time. It was apparent that materialism was in complete control of the economic structure, the final objective of which was for the individual to become part of a system providing an economic security at the expense of the human soul, mind, and body. I felt strongly moved to explore the problems of humanity, its origin and destiny, and I spent a number of quiet hours in the New York Public Library tracing the confused course of civilization. With a very few exceptions modern authorities downgraded all systems of idealistic philosophy and the deeper aspects of comparative religion. Translations of classical authors could differ greatly, but in most cases the noblest thoughts were eliminated or denigrated. Those more sincere authors whose knowledge of ancient languages was profound were never included as required reading, and scholarship was based largely upon the acceptance of a sterile materialism. Fortunately, since contemporary scholarship had little regard for the wisdom of the past, there was no premium on the earlier texts. As a result I assembled a fair collection of the works of those forgotten sages to whose labors the world owes a tremendous debt of gratitude." (from The Secret Teachings of All Ages). Mr. Hall completed and published The Secret Teachings of All Ages, An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic, and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy before his twenty-eighth birthday. This magnificently designed volume integrates more than six hundred sources on the Western wisdom traditions, including fifty-four stunning full-page color plates by noted artist J. Augustus Knapp, and two hundred black and white illustrations from rare occult works. So great was the demand, that the first five editions of the book were sold out before they came off the printers press! This is the sort of work that would logically mark the end of a very long and exceptional career, and yet Mr. Hall conceived of this staggering project while he was still twenty-one years of age. This is a genuine mystery that the reader can only fully appreciate by going to a bookstore or public library and opening up this miracle. To this day it still remains unrivaled in its scope, synthesis and graphic beauty, and is a MUST for every serious student of mystical philosophy. During the near seventy years it has been in print The Secret Teachings of All Ages has proved itself a wisdom classic and has sold over one million copies worldwide. In 1934 Mr. Hall founded the Philosophical Research Society, dedicating it to the ensoulment of all arts, sciences, and crafts, and devoted to the one basic purpose of advancing the brotherhood of all that lives. The Society is non-aligned and requires no membership, but seeks to meet all lovers of wisdom on a common ground. The society still hosts a wide range of lectures, seminars, workshops and performances on philosophical subjects and runs a bookstore and library. Located in the Los Feliz area of Los Angles since its inception, it has for decades been a place of learning for all spiritual traditions and was designated a Cultural Site by Los Angeles City Council in 1994. Mr. Hall was recognized as a high-ranking Mason. In 1990 he became one of the twenty-four 33° Masons (the highest rank possible). To understand this honor we observe that others on this list are former President Gerald Ford, Norman Vincent Peale, Senator J. Strom Thurmond, and Gene Autry! No doubt this honor is due to Mr. Halls lifelong study of the philosophical basis of Freemasonry, writing several books on the subject, The Lost Keys of Freemasonry, Masonic Orders of Fraternity, Freemasonry of the Ancient Egyptians, The Secret Destiny of America, and his belief our continent was set aside for a great experiment of enlightened self-government by ancient philosophers, and that the seeds of this plan for the founding of America were planted one thousand years before the Christian era and is partly revealed in the symbolism of the Great Seal of the United States and the mysterious stranger who swayed the signers of the Declaration of Independence. "Thousands of years ago, in Egypt, these mystical orders were aware of the existence of the western hemisphere and the great continent which we call America. The bold resolution was made that this western continent should become the site of the philosophic empire. Just when this was done it is impossible now to say, but certainly the decision was reached prior to the time of Plato, for a thinly veiled statement of this resolution is the substance of his treatise on the Atlantic Islands." (from his book, The Secret Destiny of America). This is pure Masonry of the highest order. However to allay any conspiracy enthusiasts, it should be clearly stated that PRS (Philosophical Research Society) is an entirely separate and independent organization with no links to the Masonic movement. Surely it must be a measure of the man, that Mr. Hall never used PRS as a recruiting station for Masonic membership, and what he held important was the inner philosophical tradition of Masonry. Of all the adepts in history perhaps Mr. Halls favorite was Sir Francis Bacon, Viscount St. Albans, whose genius still shines down to us through the centuries. It was his sincere belief that Bacon, a Rosicrucian Initiate, was the real author who penned the Shakesperean plays, for what has come to be known as the Bacon - Shakespeare - Rosicrucian Controversy. "The philosophic ideals promulgated throughout the Shakespearean plays distinctly demonstrate their author to have been thoroughly familiar with certain doctrines and tenets peculiar to Rosicrucianism; in fact the profundity of the Shakespearean productions stamps their creator as one of the Illuminati of the ages. Most of those seeking a solution for the Bacon-Shakespeare controversy have been intellectualists. Notwithstanding their scholarly attainments, they have overlooked the important part played by transcendentalism in the philosophic achievements of the ages. The mysteries of superphysics are inexplicable to the materialist, whose training does not equip him to estimate the extent of their ramifications and complexities. Yet who but a Platonist, a Qabbalist, or a Pythagorean could have written The Tempest, Macbeth, Hamlet, or the Tragedy of Cymbeline? Who but one deeply versed in Paracelsian lore could have conceived A Midsummers Nights Dream?" (from The Secret Teachings of All Ages). Writing about the life of Manly P. Hall is no simple matter, as he was unremittingly prolific in all his endeavors. Mr. Hall authored over two hundred books on occult subjects ranging from works on astrology, the Bible, Tarot, dreams, mysticism, Eastern and Western philosophy, religion, psychology, symbology, and reincarnation, plus hundreds of essays and a monthly magazine published for sixty odd years called the PRS Journal. The height of Manly Halls powers may have been his famous Sunday lectures. Over the course of six decades he delivered eight thousand talks. He spoke for up to two hours extemporaneously, weaving a mesmerizing tapestry of wisdom. These talks remain memorable and life-changing for the tens of thousands who heard them. He was recognized both in the United States and in Europe by rare bookdealers as a knowledgeable collector of over fifty thousand philosophical treatises and manuscripts, some dating back to the fifteenth century. His collection of books brought about the creation of the PRS Library, which is still visited by scholars today and is perhaps unique in the US as the only library dedicated to mystical philosophy. Mr. Hall loaned books on Alchemy from his collection to Professor Carl Jung when he was writing his now famous book entitled Psychology and Alchemy. Many people admired and respected this man for many individual reasons. Some came to his lectures primarily for his astrological insights. He was a well-traveled man, having trekked and collected throughout the Far East; it was fun to hear his marvelous travel stories. Some knew him as an internationally famed stamp collector, many were charmed by his childhood memories from his book Growing up with Grandmother; but always he spoke to people with dignity and respect, never trying to overwhelm them with his encyclopedic knowledge of the spiritual traditions. Mr. Hall was a man of the greatest integrity, he championed the value of an idealistic philosophical education for all in the classical tradition of Pythagoras, Paracelsus, Lord Bacon, Plato, Socrates, and all the philosophers of history who believed in a rational world soul. He was a modest man, never seeking publicity for himself; his many accomplishments were never presented to the public by him, but by his many supporters who recognized the selfless contribution and value of his work. He wanted nothing more than to assist the great philosophers of history to fulfill their honorable plans for the nation and the planet. Mr. Hall died in August 1990, aged 89 years. His work continues under the direction of the Societys new President, Dr. Obadiah Harris, a retired Professor of Education and Administration from Arizona State University. He and other eminent speakers lecture regularly as announced in a quarterly events program. To quote Dr. Harris, "We here at PRS are committed and dedicated to fulfilling Mr. Halls vision of building a House of Wisdom in the Modern World". ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Contents Copyright �1996, Philosophical Research Society. All Rights Reserved. Website by CyberJockey ===== Manly P. Hall's Magnum Opus ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Secret Teachings of All Ages An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic, & Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy By Manly P. Hall Twenty-Five Centuries of Wisdom Discover the Secrets within the Symbolic Figures, Allegories, Oral Traditions, and Rituals of Mankind. "Simply put, this is the most beautiful and complete occult book ever published. It represents a lifetime of research into the mythology, symbolism, and magical practices of countless cultures. From the secrets of Isis to the teachings of mystic Christianity, nearly every occult dogma imaginable is represented here. The book is full of giant illustrations, some of which fold out into a magnificent two-page splendor. This is the definitive guide to secret societies, famous figures, and more a must for every personal library." Llewellyn New Times "A masterful summation of the esoteric teachings of the ages." Huston Smith Ph.D. Author, The World's Religions "Manly Hall's great work is a classic in the world's literature. It will guide historians, philosophers, and lay seekers of esoteric wisdom for centuries." Edgar Mitchell, Sc.D., Apollo 14 Astronaut "Into this volume has been compressed the quintessence of a colossal learning. It is a living human document, pulsating with the mental and spiritual vibrations of a profound thinker who takes knowledge for his province and reduces whole libraries to a single tome." George Barron, Curator of the De Young Museum of San Francisco, in his tribute to this remarkable work. This contemporary classic of ancient wisdom concentrates the time-tested jewels of mystical experience into one exemplary source. World-reknowned expert Manly P. Hall explores the inner sanctuaries of diverse religious traditions, revealing unifying themes that lie beneath ancient mythology, philosophy, and religion, bringing to light the arcane teachings held sacred by many ancient cultures. Wisdom you�ll Cherish for All-Time Manly P. Hall�s exhaustive research concentrates the teachings of nearly six hundred distinguished authorities on religion and philosophy, bringing to you an interpretation of the secret teachings concealed within the rituals, allegories, and mysteries of all ages. In its original format designed by J. Henry Nash, this unique volume can be treasured and passed on as an heirloom with the assurance that its in-depth studies of some forty ancient and modern systems of spiritual development can contribute to each individual�s self-integration and quest for truth. Exciting Discoveries Enhanced by Rare Illustrations Mr. Hall completed and published The Secret Teachings of All Ages, An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic, and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy in 1928. This magnificently designed volume includes fifty-four stunning full-page color plates by noted artist J. Augustus Knapp, and two hundred black and white illustrations from rare occult works. So great was the demand, that the first two editions of the book were sold out in advance by the autumn of 1925! This is the sort of work that would logically mark the end of a very long and exceptional career, and yet Mr. Hall conceived of this staggering project while he was still twenty-one years of age. This is a genuine mystery that the reader can only fully appreciate by going to a bookstore or public library and opening up this miracle. To this day it still remains unrivaled in its scope, synthesis and graphic beauty, and is a MUST for every serious student of mystical philosophy. During the near seventy years it has been in print The Secret Teachings of All Ages has proved itself a wisdom classic and has sold over one million copies worldwide. Here�s What You�ll Find in This Incredible Volume: As fascinating as the mind itself, as profound as man�s eternal quest for meaning, The Secret Teachings of All Ages is truly a volume to treasure. Among the myriad of topics included are: �The ancient mysteries and secret societies such as the Druidic mysteries of Britain and Gaul; the Rites of Mithras; Gnostic mysteries; Simon Magus and Basilides; Labyrinth symbolism; and the Odinic , or Gothic mysteries. �Atlantis and the gods of antiquity; Plato's Atlantis in the light of modern science; the myth of the dying God; and the mysteries of Atys and Adonis. �The riddle of the Sphinx; the pyramid mysteries; the passageways and chambers of the Great Pyramid; and the secret of the pyramid coffer. �Isis, the virgin of the world. �The celestial inhabitants of the sun; and sun myths and their meanings. �The astrological ages of the world and an interpretation of the zodiacal signs. �Pythagorean mathematics; the meanings of the ten numbers; and the theory of music and color according to Pythagoras. �Ceremonial magic and sorcery including the black magic of Egypt; invocation of spirits; pacts with demons; and the symbolism of the pentagram. �Animals, plants, and minerals and their ancient medieval and mythological significance. �The Hiramic legend and the building of Solomon's temple; the martyrdom of Jacques de Molay; the spirit fire and the pineal gland; and Cleopatra's needle and the origin of Masonry. �Hermetic pharmacology, chemistry, and therapeutics. �The human body in symbolism and the philosophical manikin. �The Qabbalah, the secret doctrine of Israel and origin of mystical Judaism; the fundamentals of qabbalistic cosmogony; AIN SOPH and the Cosmic Egg; the Qabbalistic interpretation of Ezekial's vision and Nebuchadnezzar's dream; and the fifty gates of life. �The tree of the sephiroth and the thirty-two paths to wisdom. �The fraternity of the Rose Cross and alchemical teachings of the Rosicrucians. �The chemical marriage of Christian Rosencreutz and the Knights of the Golden Stone. �The cryptogram as a factor in symbolic philosophy; the bilateral cipher; secret alphabets; and pictorial ciphers. �The relationship of Bacon, Shakespeare, and the Rosicrucians. �Freemasonic symbolism from the pillars raised by the sons of Seth to the Dionysiac Architects. �Mystic Christianity; St. Iranaeus on the life of Christ; the Essenes; the Arthurian cycle; and Merlin, the mage. �The mystery of the Apocalypse and the Four Horsemen. �American Indian symbolism. �The Mysteries and their emissaries including the "divine" Cagliostro and the Comte de St. Germain. Available in Four Editions Now, You Can Own a Valuable, Limited Collector�s Edition How long has it been since you've touched a fine book where printing and art quality match the profundity of the message? The Secret Teachings of All Ages unveils man's quest for meaning, wisdom, and truth, in a tribute to the most inspired printer's craftsmanship. This monumental work is being offered in a limited Collector's Edition of 250 copies with a parchment page signed and numbered by the author, and the recipient's name hand-printed by a calligrapher, (an additional $15). For the true connoisseur of knowledge and books, this valued volume comes gilt-edged and housed in a protective slipcase matching the marbled book cover. Order today to reserve your personal edition of one of modern times' premier examples of the printer's art. Now and then a book is created to fill a lifetime with the pursuit of understanding personal inspiration. With only 100 copies left, they�ll only be available for a very short time! Consider this opportunity carefully. The Secret Teachings of All Ages was printed to last a lifetime and beyond. It is one of the few books you will most treasure throughout a life rich with study and thought. ISBN: 0-89314-9999 $500.00h. (No returns can be accepted on this edition because of the personalization.) To Purchase this book, please proceed to the Bookstore Diamond Jubilee Edition Folio size, 12.3" x 18.2", 254 pages plus fifty-four symbolical color plates, foldouts, and an overlay. Includes 200 line art illustrations, extensive bibliography, and complete index. ISBN: 0-89314-546-7 $185.00h To Purchase this book, please proceed to the Bookstore Reduced Size Hardback Edition (NEW) 9" x 13", 254 pages plus fifty-four symbolical color plates, foldouts, and an overlay. Includes 200 line art illustrations, extensive bibliography, and complete index. ISBN: 0-89314-548-3 $69.95p Reduced Size Paperback Edition (NEW) 9" x 13", 254 pages plus fifty-four symbolical color plates, foldouts, and an overlay. Includes 200 line art illustrations, extensive bibliography, and complete index. ISBN: 0-89314-830-X $54.95p ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Contents Copyright � 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 Philosophical Research Society. All Rights Reserved. ----- Aloha, He'Ping, Om, Shalom, Salaam. Em Hotep, Peace Be, Omnia Bona Bonis, All My Relations. Adieu, Adios, Aloha. Amen. Roads End Kris DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
