In the second of his articles on the Search for Truth, occult writer and theologian, John Temple, dispels the misconceptions surrounding the 'illuminati' and attempts to discover what and who they really are.
Introduction
In the first of this series of 12 articles I shared the story of 'Richard' with you and his search for a True Teacher who could set his feet firmly on the path to the Light. Those of you who have read it will know that he encountered many charlatans in his search; some obvious, some less so, none of whom were able to provide him with the answers he sought. It took much time, considerable groping in the dark and not a few wrong turnings and descents into various rabbit holes before he found the One Light of Truth. This demonstrates the truth of the well-known but little understood occult maxim: "when the disciple is ready, the Master appears." Moreover, it takes considerable experience, determination, faith and courage to recognise a True Teacher when we encounter one, as we may read in The White Brother by Michael Juste as well as in Serpents of Wisdom by Edda Livingston, both available to read on this website.
The fact of the matter is that we cannot hope to recognise a True Teacher or the True Teachings until we have learnt to discriminate without fail between truth and falsehood, spurious glamour and the plain, simple and unadorned Wisdom of the Ages taught by all the great Teachers and Messengers from God to Man. This, then, is the purpose of this article, to point out the differences between facts and fantasy, half-truths and downright lies which surround the subject of the mysterious 'illuminati'. Are they an evil conspiracy of bankers, businessmen and politicians—the so-called 'New World Order', wicked black magicians, alien supermen, who are supposed to 'rule our lives' or something quite different?
Illuminati conspiracies
It has always seemed ironic to me that those who, for reasons best known to themselves, promote the notion of an organised conspiracy of individuals hell-bent on world domination, see no contradiction in calling them the 'illuminati', when any good dictionary will speedily show that the word is derived from the Latin illuminatus, meaning 'enlightened'. Perhaps their semantic lapses may be excused given that 'enlightened' is now often coupled with pedestrian terms like 'self-interest', 'business practices' and 'media', the meaning of which have little if any connection with spirituality. Like many words derived from other languages, illuminati has lost much, if not all of the sublime meaning it once held in the minds of our wiser forebears. So very bad is the press which this word now attracts that it has become a synonym for all that is evil in mankind and in the world. Quite why (and how) this misconception has arisen is beyond the scope of this article. In passing, I would merely point out that this is not a unique case. Today, the words 'pentagram', 'magician' and 'secret' all have very different, and one might add, mostly negative connotations, to their original meaning. Much of this is due to ignorance, but much is also due to the nefarious purposes to which the occult and magical arts have been put over the centuries by unscrupulous men and women for their own, selfish ends. Yet, despite these etymological distortions, those who have even the most superficial acquaintance with Western and Eastern philosophy cannot be in any doubt that an illuminatus—that is, one who is truly enlightened in the spiritual and mystical sense of the word—is hardly likely to be interested in the manipulative and mendacious pursuits associated with the word 'illuminati' in the popular imagination.
All the great Spiritual Teachers of the past affirm that at best life on earth is a dream, happy for some, less so for others, and for some poor souls, a living nightmare, and that the real life; the life of the Spirit, is elsewhere. The great Poets have taught the same, albeit in different words, such as the well-known soliloquy from Shakespeare's famous 'Scottish Play': "Life's but a walking shadow; a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." If, as spiritually-aware, thinking individuals, we acknowledge the truth of such propositions, then the pursuit of material power, fame, riches, and all the rest of the chimerical desires of the worldly-wise must be the very antithesis of enlightenment—for they lead to darkness and not Light. Or, to put it another way, a genuine 'illuminatus' must be as far removed from the petty concerns of politics and commerce as the sun is removed from a guttering candle in a dank, dark cellar, otherwise he or she would not be an 'illuminatus' but an 'ignoramus.'
However important fame, wealth and the pursuit of power may be to some of us, and however inevitable their presence in this material world may be, all the wise philosophers, mystics and poets of the past agree that they must ALL fade away in time, for as Shakespeare tells us in another of his wonderful dramas: "...the great globe itself, Yea all which it inherit, shall dissolve, and, like this insubstantial pageant faded, leave not a rack behind." If this is true, and from Hermes to Pythagoras, and Buddha to Jesus, all the Messengers from God to Man have taught the same, then what possible attraction can these ephemeral illusions have for the truly enlightened—the real illuminati? Earthly power, whether it is wielded by a monarch, a dictator or a corporate mogul, is as nothing compared to the power contained in one atom of hydrogen, as science demonstrated all too clearly when the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. And if such power is locked up in just one tiny speck of matter, how much greater must be the power of those who rule and order the Universe under the Creator of All? It is the pursuit of the knowledge, rightly called 'Divine Wisdom', possessed by the Spiritual Beings who wield these powers, which has ever been the goal of all sincere seekers after Truth. That there have been, and are, men and women who have discovered fragments of this knowledge is a matter of historical record. Who has not heard of Simon Magus, of Paracelsus, and of H. P. Blavatsky? All were credited with performing so-called 'miracles', all were devout, humble individuals, who did their best to enlighten mankind and alleviate the evils of this world. None occupied thrones, or were remotely interested in fame, wealth or the pursuit of material, as opposed to spiritual power. Whether we choose to call them illuminati, and whether or not they belonged to secret societies, the fact remains that they were all illuminated in the best and highest sense of the word, and the Light that filled them came from God, not man.
The teachings of the Illuminati
Whether the members of the Illuminati movement founded by Adam Weishaupt in the 18th Century were illuminated in this same sense, or were motivated by 'enlightened' self-interest, is not for me to say, and forms no part of this article, which is intended to dispel the misconceptions surrounding the word 'illuminati', and to attempt to discover what it really means. Those of you who are interested in this movement and its various offshoots can find plenty of information about it in books and on the Internet. Which leads me on to a question many thinking people ask: 'are there any books which reveal the teachings of the illuminati?'
To which my answer is a resounding 'yes', always assuming we are talking about spiritually enlightened men and women and not a secret cabal of dodgy financiers, shady arms dealers and mendacious politicians who like to dress up in weird 'occult' costumes and conduct bizarre rituals in secluded Swiss châteaux to further their alleged evil ends! I happily leave the investigation and discussion of all such colourful characters to those writers who have a liking for that sort of thing. There have been a number of books published during the last two centuries which, in my personal opinion, provide true portraits of the real illuminati and the great occult truths they have revealed to the world. Among these are Bulwer-Lytton's classic occult novel Zanoni, and the two books I mentioned in my introduction, The White Brother by Michael Juste, and Serpents of Wisdom by Edda Livingston. In addition, there is a very fine portrait of a truly great Master to be found in The Golden Star by J Michaud PhD, in the form of the Divine Messenger 'Neteru-Hem' who initiates two occult students—Ma-u and Ma-uti— into the Sublime Occult Mysteries. All these books are not difficult or costly to obtain.
But it is not necessary to be a teacher of the Eternal Verities to belong to the real Illuminati—the illuminated ones! There are, and have been many men and women throughout recorded human history who have brought the One Light of Truth to mankind. Some are well-known, such as Mozart, who brought the Divine Harmonies of Heaven down to earth to raise up the minds of all those who long for Light and Liberation, or Shakespeare, a truly God-like genius who enshrined the greatest occult truths in words. Nor must I omit to mention the many great Artists such as Michelangelo or scientists such as Einstein. Other illuminated men and women are wholly unknown, yet each in their own unique way, and according to their gifts, has contributed to bringing Light, Hope and Comfort to suffering humanity.
The real conspiracy
The real 'conspiracy'—if we must use that word—is the epidemic of pride, greed and selfishness which holds almost the entire world in its insidious grip. It is humanity itself, both in the mass and in the individual, which is building the totalitarian atmosphere which threatens to deprive man of his God-given freedom of thought and action. It is a silent, unconscious conspiracy which few talk about and even fewer think about. But this forms no part of my present discussion, though it is a subject that the authors of this website explore in several of their articles, most notably in 'How Peace leads to war.'
None of this is to say that there do not exist conscious conspiracies and conspirators pursuing various political, monetary and social agendas for their own selfish ends such as the global warming hoax. But is this news to any thinking person? To the diligent student of human history there have always been such opportunists, whether they were known to the public or simply pulled the strings of their marionettes from the shadows. To suggest, as some conspiracy theorists do, that there exists an organised movement on a world-wide scale that goes back to Adam Weishaupt and his illuminati, whose avowed aim is to usher in a New World Order of Orwellian despotism on a global scale, strikes me as both ludicrous and implausible. We have only to watch the daily news to see that the so-called 'movers and shakers' of the world not only rise and fall with monotonous regularity, but that they can rarely agree with one another about anything, much less establish the coordinated and cooperative consensus needed to organise and implement a New World Order. It seems to me that the only 'new' thing about this non-existent 'order' is the name! Unless, of course, you can point to any period of human history during the last few thousand years when the vast majority were not exploited, misled and manipulated by their so-called rulers? To call such money-grabbing, power-hungry nonentities 'illuminati' seems to me to be adding insult to injury!
I would rather apply this much-maligned and misunderstood word where it truly belongs; to those who are the true saviours and real benefactors of mankind I mentioned earlier. Those great men and women, both known and unknown, appreciated and unappreciated, who silently go about in the world with love in their hearts for all, drying the tears of the sorrowful, lifting up the downtrodden and oppressed, relieving those in distress and revealing the mysteries of the Creator and Creation to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. They are the REAL illuminati, the enlightened ones, the peacemakers, the light-filled children of God, and as such, I salute them!
The Search for Truth
In this unique series of twelve articles, the author explores and investigates the many links between Religion and the Occult, focusing especially on the hidden meaning concealed within the Bible and its many correspondences with the Wisdom Teachings of ancient Egypt. Along the way he explores the nature of true spirituality, the illuminati who are supposed to 'rule our lives', the problem of good and evil, prayer and talent. While each article can be read on its own, they form an ascending scale of revelation, the full import of which will only become clear when they are studied in their proper sequence, in the order of publication listed below.
Searching for Truth. The moving and true story of one seeker's troubled and eventful journey of spiritual discovery as related to the author.
Who are the REAL illuminati? (this article). The author dispels the many misconceptions surrounding the mysterious 'illuminati' and attempts to discover who the occult masters who are said to 'rule our lives' really are and what they do.
Esotericism in the Nativity. An investigation of the Bible story of the birth of Jesus, revealing the many layers of hidden meaning it contains, and the historical parallels between Jesus and the many saviours of other religions.
If God is good why does he allow evil? An investigation of the problem of Good and Evil from the perspective of Occult Science and some important extracts from the Oera Linda Book which shed light on this age-old question.
Hidden Wisdom in the Bible. Why and how it was concealed, and the tools the sincere seeker needs to dig it out. In his afterword the author examines the hidden meanings within the Biblical parable of the prodigal son
Esoteric meaning of Easter. An investigation of the true significance and esoteric meaning of Easter, the resurrection of Jesus, and the parallels between the Christian and ancient Egyptian religions.
Hidden meaning in the Book of Proverbs. An investigation of the origins of the Biblical Book of Proverbs and the hidden meaning in it, and their close similarity to the maxims found in the ancient Egyptian Teaching of Ptah-Hetep
The sayings of the Saviour analysed. An occult investigation and analysis of some parables from the NT gospels, the real origins of Christianity and its close connection with the wisdom teachings of ancient Egypt.
The metaphysics of Talent. An analysis of the hidden meaning in the parable of the talents in the New Testament, what talent is; whence it comes, where it leads, and its right and wrong use.
The power of Prayer. An investigation of the nature, purpose and power of prayer, the many misconceptions surrounding it, and an analysis of the occult truths contained in the Lord's Prayer.
Facts and fictions of the Church. An investigation of the origins of the Christian Church, some of its doctrines and dogmas, and the so-called 'heresies' which threatened its survival in the early centuries of our era.
The Mystery of Jesus. An investigation of the evidence for the existence of the historical figure of Jesus and the occult truths concealed in the Sermon on the Mount.
'John' (no relation)
About the author
John Temple is the pen-name of a writer who has studied and practised the occult sciences for more than 60 years. He graduated from Cambridge University with a first in Theology and Religious Studies and was ordained as a Minister in the Anglican Church in 1957. He left the Church in 1972 and has since lectured to students around the world on a wide variety of occult, religious and mystical subjects.
John retired in 2002 and now lives quietly in London with his wife, two Yorkshire terriers and a talkative African Grey Parrot called John, shown in typically meditative mood at left.
In my afterword, I would like to say a few words about the contentious subject of 'Masters' about which so much nonsense has been written in the past, and is still being written today
An example of this are the claims made by many writers in books and online that leading politicians, financiers and business tycoons are the 'Hidden Masters' who are supposed to rule our lives.
Other writers regale us with tall tales of Masters hiding out in caves in Tibet, or living inside a hollow earth, or in outer space. Some seekers will continue to cling tenaciously to such pipe-dreams and that is their prerogative. But those who have an open mind and wish to know how and why this fascination with Masters began may find much to interest and enlighten them in this short discussion.
Our story begins in the latter half of the 19th century, when H. P. Blavatsky began her work that led to the formation of the Theosophical Society in the United States. One of the major obstacles she had to overcome was how to convince a large number of sceptical people of her authority. She was a foreigner in a country whose language she did not know well and a woman at a time when women were regarded as second-class citizens devoid of reason, credibility and authority.
She began by revealing the existence of a secret brotherhood of advanced human beings who were in possession of all-knowledge and all-wisdom, so far as this is possible on earth. This placed her in a very difficult position; she had to reveal something about her Teachers, but was not permitted to reveal all. This dilemma precipitated the schisms that have bedevilled the Theosophical Society from its inception and continue to this day. We must remember that Blavatsky's early followers were a very mixed bag of middle-class spiritualists, psychics, scientists, theologians, academics and laymen, most of whom knew nothing of 'masters', and even less about the occult sciences.
Another obstacle Blavatsky faced was the difficulty of engaging the thinking minds of her pupils, rather than their unthinking curiosity and emotionalism. Then as now, most seekers were more interested in phenomena than learning the Wisdom of the Ages. "Show us a miracle!" was the cry of the mystery-mongers and thrill-seekers who flocked to the side of the magnetic Russian countess. She had no shortage of 'miracles' to show them. She materialised flowers out of thin air. Tables turned and chairs levitated. She read the minds of her audience as easily as she read their sealed letters. How she did this is not important, though I feel compelled to add that there is nothing 'supernatural' in it—it is all the result of the conscious control of natural forces as you may read for yourself in Isis Unveiled and in Madame Blavatsky's many articles and letters.
In later life, Blavatsky expressed regret for these displays of her occult powers, which were often employed against her better judgement to satisfy those of her followers who would otherwise have quickly lost interest in the teachings of her Masters. But having started, it was difficult to stop, which in turn led to an unhealthy fascination with Masters that continues to the present day.
But although this obsession began with the early Theosophists, the roots of it go back to the demise of the Mystery Schools of Greece more than 2000 years ago. The few Great Teachers that remained on earth went into hiding. With their departure almost all knowledge of the occult sciences was obliterated from the mind of man, and the very existence of those who knew and taught them was called into doubt. Only in the remotest places were there still to be found a very few Masters of Wisdom who, having learned the bitter lessons of their persecuted predecessors, carefully concealed their status and knowledge.
From time to time, these custodians of the Ancient Wisdom sent their pupils out into the world to keep alight the guttering flame of Truth which had almost been extinguished by centuries of dogmatic religion and superstition. Wherever fertile soil could be found that would nourish that Wisdom, the Masters sent out their representatives to till and water it. Thus were founded the various 'Rosicrucian', Masonic and other orders and schools during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Each transmitted what it comprehended of the secret teachings imparted to it, but none possessed the full truth about anything, for, as I said earlier, the occult knowledge which had once been taught in the Mystery Schools of Greece was now shrouded in impenetrable secrecy.
As time went on, the tales of magic and mystery woven around these enigmatic and secretive Sages by generations of Theosophists, mystics and would-be occultists grew ever more fanciful, until they acquired a verisimilitude of their own which it became heretical to even question. This process culminated in the cult of the masters and led directly to the formation of numerous 'occult' orders and groups, all feeding off the same rancid brew of unbridled imagination, religious hysteria and wish-fulfilling fantasy.
Thus we arrive at the present, when a host of self-appointed authorities write endless drivel about the 'Illuminati' and invent colourful conspiracies about their supposed 'rulership' of the world. What a fruitless waste of time and energy all this is. If only all the effort expended in these fanciful speculations was directed to contacting the Master WITHIN us all—our own often sorrowing Higher Self—this unhealthy fascination would cease overnight.
Some seekers travel all the way to the jungles of the Amazon in order to find a true teacher. What a waste of time if they only went there for that reason! We can find a Master—the Master—on any London street, on our own doorstep, in our own inner sanctum, by going WITHIN—and communing with that patient, loving, and often sorrowing Master who dwells within the Temple of our very own self. HE is the Master we must first of all learn to contact with full faith that HE will always hear us, guide you, protect us; if we will only let him.
We all have the God-given free will to do so, but we must approach HIM with the confidence of a small child who asks for the aid of loving and trusted parents. For it has been truly said that he who cannot or will not find the Light within himself will never find it outside. And this is another truth concealed in the maxim I mentioned in the introduction to my article: "when the pupil is ready the Master appears." May YOU who reads this receive this very great blessing at the appropriate time. You can read more about a real Master and his teachings in The Quest of Ruru.
Further Reading
The author has contributed several further articles and afterwords to the website. These are listed in order of publication below, oldest first. All are well worth reading in their own right as well as extensions to his series of articles on The Search for Truth.
A Modern Easter. In his afterword to this satirical story by Gabrielle Annunziato, John Temple unveils the hidden meaning of the Last Supper.
The Mystery of Love. In his afterword John Temple examines the many references to Love in the Bible.
The Importance of Being Humble. In his afterword to this article by Seán Mac Gréine John Temple examines some known and unknown quotations about humility.
Folly and Wisdom. The wisdom of Folly and the foolishness of Wisdom. Afterword: an analysis of the book of Ecclesiasticus in the Old Testament Apocrypha.
Star Children. An occult analysis and appreciation of a short story by Charles Dickens.
Mr Tilly's Séance. An appreciation and occult analysis of a ghost story by the novelist E. F. Benson.
The anatomy of Sin. An occult investigation of the theological concept of Sin and its origins, and the macabre custom of sin-eating.
