With the Kabbalists, Fire and Motion were instrumental in the formation of the world out of pre-existing Matter. Aditi, the primordial Water of Space, is the original of Sephirah, and crown of the Sephiroth. The AUM of the Hindus had become the Aion with the Greeks, and the Ævum with the Romans — the Pan or All. With Moses, Elohim and Jehovah were numerical indices of geometrical relations, and stood for a diameter and a circumference value, respectively. When Shimon ben-Yohai’s heavenly light gave place to the darkness of the gloomy cave, then only the disciples of Israel perceived that the lamp of Israel was extinguished. The key of things concealed is the key of the sanctuary. Mount Sumeru is the father of the Greek Parnassos and Tomaros. The Hindu Kailasa (Heaven), too, is the father of the Greek Heaven (Koilon). Even the German Heaven (Himmel) was inspired by the Heavenly Himalaya. From where the Greeks obtained their Parnassos, thence proceeded most of the biblical personages. Abram was one of them, a Chaldæan Brahman, transformed later into A-brahm (A-braham), i.e., no-Brahman, who emigrated westward and became the “father of many nations.” Every God and hero in ancient Pantheons, including those of the Bible, has three biographies in the narrative, running parallel with each other, and each connected with one of three aspects of the hero — historical, astronomical, and perfectly mythical — the last serving to link the other two together and smooth away the asperities and discordances in the narrative, and gathering into one or more symbols the verities of the first two. Moreover, localities are made to correspond with astronomical and even with psychic events. History was thus made captive by ancient Mystery, to become later on the great Sphinx of the age we live in. Not only is everything in Western religion is related to measures, geometrical figures, and time calculations, the principal periods being founded on historical personages, but the latter are also connected with heaven and earth truly, but only with the Indo-Aryan heaven and earth, not with those of Palestine. The Old Testament was milked out of the most ingenious brains of Hebrew Kabbalists, partly in Egypt and partly in Babylonia. Astronomically, Abraham is the sun-measure and a portion of the sun, while Enoch is the solar year, as much as is Thoth-Hermes. Equally Thoth, numerically, is the equivalent of Moses and Hermes, Lord of the lower realms and a teacher of wisdom. More! Abram and Brahmā are equivalent in numerical value! Neither the Book of Enoch, nor the Zohar, nor any other kabbalistic volume, contains merely Jewish wisdom. It was only in the Third Root-Race that the “wheel” of Enoch was invented as a first attempt at symbology, though Enoch No. 1 had naught to do with it.

The Spiritual, Occult and Historical significance of the "Emerald Tablets" is almost beyond belief of modern man. Written around 36,000 B.C. by Thoth, an Atlantean priest-king, this manuscript dates far back beyond reach of any Egyptian writings ever found. The author, Thoth, a Master-Teacher of the early Egyptians, put this treatise to writing in his native Atlantean language and Dr. Doreal, by use of his expertise as an Occultist and Master of time and space, was given the directive to retrieve these Tablets and translate them into English for the edification of modern man. The powerful and rhythmic verse of Thoth is wonderfully retained in Doreal's translation. Contained within the pages of Thoth's masterpiece of Spiritual and Occult Wisdom is the synthesis of the Ancient Wisdom Teachings, the guideline for initiates of all ages, revealing the Knowledge and Wisdom hitherto held secret, but now in this New Age, revealed to all Seekers on the Path of Light. Dr. M. Doreal, Ms.D., Psy.D., is the Spiritual; Teacher of a multitude of Seekers of Light, having founded a Metaphysical Church and College - The Brotherhood of the White Temple, Inc. He is the author of all of the Organization's writings and teachings, having been given permission for the Esoteric Wisdom to be remitted in a public forum by the Great White Lodge, the Elder Brothers of mankind who shape and form the Spiritual evolution of earth's inhabitants. The Brotherhood of the White Temple, Inc. is a correspondence school, accredited through the State of Colorado, and mails out to its world-wide membership weekly Lessons of Truth. Its four and one-half year College Course unveils the secrets of the Symbolism of all Mystery Schools, giving precisely and beautifully, the step by step progression all Seekers have searched for in their quest for Oneness with God, and for attainment of Cosmic Consciousness. "Read, Believe or not, but read, and the vibration found therein will awaken a response in your soul.' - Doreal

This is the extended and annotated edition including * an extensive annotation of almost 10.000 words about the history and basics of Gnosticism, written by Wilhelm Bousset The so-called Hermetic writings have been known to Christian writers for many centuries. The early church Fathers (Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria) quote them in defense of Christianity. Stobaeus collected fragments of them. The Humanists knew and valued them. They were studied in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and in modern times have again been diligently examined by many scholars. Contents: I. Poemandres, the Shepherd of Men II. To Asclepius III. The Sacred Sermon IV. The Cup or Monad V. Though Unmanifest God Is Most Manifest VI. In God Alone Is Good And Elsewhere Nowhere VII. The Greatest Ill Among Men is Ignorance of God VIII. That No One of Existing Things doth Perish, but Men in Error Speak of Their Changes as Destructions and as Deaths IX. On Thought and Sense X. The Key XI. Mind Unto Hermes XII. About The Common Mind XIII. The Secret Sermon on the Mountain

The composition, which the editors entitle the "Book of Thoth", is preserved on over forty Graeco-Roman Period papyri from collections in Berlin, Copenhagen, Florence, New Haven, Paris, and Vienna. The central witness is a papyrus of fifteen columns in the Berlin Museum. Written almost entirely in the Demotic script, the Book of Thoth is probably the product of scribes of the "House of Life", the temple scriptorium. It comprises largely a dialogue between a deity, usually called "He-who-praises-knowledge" (presumably Thoth himself) and a mortal, "He-who-loves-knowledge". The work covers such topics as the scribal craft, sacred geography, the underworld, wisdom, prophecy, animal knowledge, and temple ritual. Particularly remarkable is one section (the "Vulture Text") in which each of the 42 nomes of Egypt is identified with a vulture. The language is poetic; the lines are often clearly organized into verses. The subject-matter, dialogue structure, and striking phraseology raise many issues of scholarly interest; especially intriguing are the possible connections between this Egyptian work, in which Thoth is called "thrice-great", and the classical Hermetic Corpus, in which Hermes Trismegistos plays the key role. The first volume comprises interpretative essays, discussion of specific points such as the manuscript tradition, script, and language. The core of the publication is the transliteration of the Demotic text, translation, and commentary. A consecutive translation, glossary, bibliography, and indices conclude the first volume. The second volume contains photographs of the papyri, almost all of which reproduce their original size.

The Hermetica are a body of theological-philosophical texts written in late antiquity, but long believed to be much older. Their supposed author, Hermes Trismegistus, was thought to be a contemporary of Moses, and the Hermetic philosophy was regarded as an ancient theology, parallel to the received wisdom of the Bible. This first English translation based on reliable texts, together with Brian P. Copenhaver's comprehensive introduction, provide an indispensable resource to scholars in ancient philosophy and religion, early Christianity, Renaissance literature, and history, the history of science, and the occultist tradition in which the Hermetica have become canonical texts.

The story of the beliefs and practices called 'magic' starts in ancient Iran, Greece, and Rome, before entering its crucial Christian phase in the Middle Ages. Centering on the Renaissance and Marsilio Ficino - whose work on magic was the most influential account written in premodern times - this groundbreaking book treats magic as a classical tradition with foundations that were distinctly philosophical. Besides Ficino, the premodern story of magic also features Plotinus, Iamblichus, Proclus, Aquinas, Agrippa, Pomponazzi, Porta, Bruno, Campanella, Descartes, Boyle, Leibniz, and Newton, to name only a few of the prominent thinkers discussed in this book. Because pictures play a key role in the story of magic, this book is richly illustrated.