Links: Wisdom on the Web

seasons greetings

As usual at this Special Season we like to thank our readers for their support throughout the year by publishing a Christmas article. This year John Temple has written a perceptive and humorous analysis of a short story by Rudyard Kipling which includes an Afterword about Kipling's close, life-long friendship with the writer Rider Haggard.


Links to sources of real Occult Knowledge, Occult Truth and the Ancient Wisdom on the Internet


Many readers tell us that there is not much Truth or Wisdom to be found on the Internet. Others say they do not trust anything they read online. Neither complaint surprises us, for the Truth and Wisdom taught by the great Masters and Messengers was, is, and always will be, unwanted. Thrills, glamour, mystery and 'conspiracy theories' are what the majority of people who are even remotely in search of truth crave; the more weird and incredible the better.

In addition, the vast size and complexity of the Internet makes it difficult to find the very few nuggets of Truth buried among the dross. There is no shortage of websites, blogs, YouTube videos and social media pages discussing so called 'sigils', 'servitors' and 'summoning' to gain money, sex, power or fame, as well as countless sites devoted to witches, warlocks, zombies, vampires, demons, 'dark magic' and other rubbish, trash, and sweepings of the 'occult'. Whatever claims these so-called 'occult' resources may make, they cannot claim that they can tell us anything about Truth as we, and we hope YOU who are reading this, understand it. The good news is that the Truth is out there—or at least a few facets of it. So, if you are looking for TRUTH, the links on this page should not disappoint you.

Sacred Texts

Internet Sacred Text Archive

The Internet Sacred Text Archive is the living proof that the Web has its positive side and we wholeheartedly recommend it. Here you will find just about every important sacred text from around the world ever written.

We have appended a few direct links below which we feel may be of particular interest to you. But please DO browse this site freely yourselves. You will find such treasure-hunting a very valuable and enjoyable experience and you may just turn up some sparkling jewel of Truth that will transform your thinking and your life: it can happen!

Esoteric and Occult Books contains many rare texts that it is almost impossible to find in print unless one has very deep pockets indeed.

Isis Unveiled and The Secret Doctrine by H. P. Blavatsky. Although incomplete and oddly formatted, these online copies of Blavatsky's masterworks on the age-old wisdom and occult sciences will give the reader who is unfamiliar with her books a flavour of her teachings. You can read full reviews of both these occult classics on our Blavatsky books page.

Bible, Apocrypha and related texts includes such important works as 'The Legends of Genesis' and 'The Lost Books of the Bible.'

Egyptian Magic by E. A. Wallis Budge—now becoming quite scarce in print, this seminal treatise on ancient Egyptian magical practises and superstitions by one of the very few Egyptologists who was sympathetic to the real Wisdom of Egypt is well worth studying. However, it is worth adding that much of the magical lore the book contains belongs to the late Dynastic period, by which time most of the High Wisdom of Egypt had already been lost. Yet the discerning reader may still trace the lineage of this Wisdom in the fantastic fragments that Budge gathered together, and this is why we recommend it.

Alchemy
Whether you are a serious student of practical Alchemy, or simply wish to learn more about the Great Art, this page contains almost every book ever written by the REAL Alchemists of the past.

Atlantis and Atlantology
If you have not already done so, we recommend that you read our article on The Facts and Fancies of Atlantis before browsing this section of the Internet Sacred Text Archive. Whilst there is no shortage of countless modern books on Atlantis, most of them are either re-hashes of more complete earlier works, or promote the pet theories of their authors, which naturally contradict the pet theories of other authors! Whilst there is no harm in reading such books for amusement (we almost said 'novels'—for Truth is absent from most of them), if you want scientific facts then the choice is rather more limited. We recommend Atlantis, the Antediluvian World by Ignatius Donnelly and Plato's account of the lost continent given in the Timaeus and Critias. See our own article for further reading recommendations about Atlantis.

The Oera Linda Book is also well worth studying as this contains information on the northern parts of Atlantis (and the religious beliefs and Wisdom Teachings of its people) not found in any other book that we are aware of. The fact that all the best 'authorities' dismiss this book as a 19th Century forgery is proof positive in our opinion of its authenticity and veracity! But read it and judge for yourself, for that is always best.

Hinduism and the Wisdom of the East
It is an old Occult maxim that Light comes from the East and darkness from the North. This section of the Internet Sacred Text Archive contains some of the most precious jewels of that Great Light, among which we would especially draw your attention to Sir Edwin Arnold's translation of the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads

The Wisdom of China
The sacred texts of Confucianism and the Tao te Ching have never been equalled for the elevated moral and philosophical teachings they contain. We particularly recommend the following texts to all those who wish to learn more of the ancient Chinese Wisdom:

The Analects of Confucius are the key texts of Confucianism, the traditional state religion of ancient China.

Shûh King is one of the five classics of ancient Chinese literature containing the wisdom and philosophy of the ancient Chinese rulers and sages, going back more than 2,000 years.

The Y King, also known as the 'I Ching' or 'Book of Changes', is the most complete and true method of divination known to man and well worth studying, not only for the accuracy of its predictions when correctly cast, but for the wealth of wisdom and practical advice it contains. This Sacred Text Archive e-text is taken verbatim from James Legge's translation of the Yi King first published in volume 16 of the series known as 'Sacred Books of the East' in 1899.

The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu is unmatched for the simplicity, practicality and depth of its sublime teachings. It should appeal to all sincere seekers after Truth, whatever their religion, background or beliefs.

The Myths and Legends of the Ancient Near East.
There are many priceless treasures in this section that shed light on the origins of Mankind and provide clear proofs of the origin of much of the Christian Old Testament too. The Chaldean Account of the Flood and The Chaldean Account of Genesis are two books that everyone should read if they wish to learn more about the creation and origins of Man, of which the Biblical account in Genesis is only one incomplete and distorted version.

The teachings of H. P. Blavatsky

The following websites are devoted to the occult scientific teachings of the 19th century occultist H. P. Blavatsky.

H. P. Blavatsky

It is our firm conviction that all Blavatsky's books are well-worth studying if you wish to obtain a truly first-rate understanding of the Ancient Mystery Teachings. We know of no other teacher who has given out more real Occult Truth in the last few centuries than this truly great keeper of the ancient secrets. We would go so far as to say that the world in general and the average 'occultist' in particular, has not even the slightest conception of the real stature of this remarkable woman nor the very great service she has rendered mankind.

It is for this reason that much of the content of our website is based upon the writings of H. P. Blavatsky. The Occult Sciences had been all but lost to the Western races by the beginning of the 19th century. What remained consisted of widely scattered fragments of the ancient Wisdom that had leaked out over the centuries since the demise of the last of the Greek Mystery Schools two thousand years earlier. These fragments had become so distorted over time that almost nothing remained of the sublime occult mysteries of ancient Egypt, Greece and India. It was H. P. Blavatsky who single-handedly revived and restored the Wisdom of the Ages for the benefit of Western readers. Without her Herculean labours the true facts about such esoteric subjects as occultism, psychic phenomena, reincarnation, magic, alchemy and the much misunderstood doctrine of Karma would have remained a closed book to the West.

The Theosophical Society

Readers should not confuse the speculative theories of the various sects into which the Theosophical Society split after the death of Madame Blavatsky with the occult scientific facts taught by its founder. Whilst we have the very highest regard for the Theosophy taught by H. P. Blavatsky, the same cannot be said for the writings of those who apparently followed in her footsteps — both past and present. The sad fact is that when the Shepherd has departed. . .the sheep will wander, and we are afraid that many Theosophical 'sheep' have wandered very far away indeed from the Teachings of their Good Shepherd as you can read in the Afterword to part five of Astral Conversations — 'the cult of the Masters' — in which we discuss some of the more nonsensical notions promulgated by Theosophists such as Annie Besant and C. W. Leadbeater. Even Gottfried de Purucker who is widely regarded as a font of wisdom by many contemporary Theosophists, departs from the pure teachings of Blavatsky in many of his articles. Only William Q. Judge, one of the co-founders of the Society, remained loyal to his Teacher after her death and continued to preserve and promote her original teachings without embellishment or alteration. Perhaps the worst of Madame Blavatsky's followers was Henry Steel Olcott who betrayed her when she most needed his support and even went so far as to call her 'mad.'

We should add that we ourselves are not in any way affiliated with, or have any connection to, the Theosophical Society, or Theosophical groups of any kind. In addition to the websites reviewed below, we also review H. P. Blavatsky's masterworks— Isis Unveiled and the Secret Doctrine on our Blavatsky Occult Books page. You can read more about this remarkable revealer of the Ancient Wisdom in the sidebar commentary on the same page. This page also lists the major biographies published about her, such as The Esoteric World of Madame Blavatsky by Daniel H. Caldwell.

Finally, those who doubt the motives, sincerity and probity of H. P. Blavatsky and her teachings or worse, insist on regarding her as a plagiarist and devil-worshipping racist, are encouraged to read our answer to the calumnies and accusations made against her.

Exploring Theosophy: the Synthesis of Science, Religion and Philosophy
The homepage of David Pratt

The teachings of H. P. Blavatsky and other Theosophists.

It is a very great pity this website is not better known. David Pratt is to be congratulated for putting together a comprehensive resource for those who may be unfamiliar with the teachings of H. P. Blavatsky, and wish to know more. In addition to material he has taken verbatim from the writings of Madame Blavatsky, Mr Pratt has also written many interesting articles under his own name. These include articles on religion, spirituality, reincarnation, earth mysteries, ancient civilizations, life sciences, health, astronomy and philosophy.

Among these articles we would especially mention 'Electromagnetism, Subtle Energies and Health', published in October 2017. This is a refreshing change from the many pseudo-scientific articles now being published on this 'hot' topic, and well worth reading for the wealth of factual information it contains. Another excellent article is 'Human Origins: the ape-ancestry myth' in which Mr Pratt presents a well-researched and detailed rebuttal of the more fanciful dogmas of Darwinism. If you have never questioned the mainstream scientific dogma that we are descended from Apes, this article will open your eyes to the many holes in the evolutionary theories and speculations of science. A recent addition to these excellent articles is a timely and very well researched examination of Climate Change and so-called 'Man-made Global Warming' which exposes the lengths to which some politicians, scientists and businessmen will go to promote their agendas, which have more to do with making money than saving the planet.

Whilst we applaud Mr Pratt's efforts in bringing the teachings of H. P. Blavatsky to a wider audience, this does not mean we necessarily agree with every statement he makes nor endorse every conclusion he reaches. But this in no way diminishes the very great service he is providing to thinking seekers genuinely in search of Truth.

Blavatsky Theosophy Group UK

The theosophical and occult teachings of H. P. Blavatsky.

As many of our readers will know, the Theosophical Society which H. P. Blavatsky founded in 1875, in New York, split into several factions after her death. These factions still exist today, each claiming to be the 'one and only, true' Theosophical Society. Although this website was created by an associate of the United Lodge of Theosophists, based in London, in the UK, it does not claim any kind of authority, provenance or succession. Nor, with the odd exception, does it engage in the polemical discussions and acrimonious disputes which continue to divide Theosophists around the world. Instead, it simply promotes the original and unexpurgated writings of H. P. Blavatsky exactly as she gave them to the world; especially in her master-work, the Secret Doctrine.

It is for this reason that we recommend this website to those who wish to know more about the Theosophy taught by Blavatsky rather than what many Theosophical writers who apparently followed in her footsteps, think she meant. The fact that the authors of this website have chosen to remain anonymous is another reason we applaud their work, for as we point out in many of our own articles, it is not who wrote something that matters, but what is written.

Blavatsky Study Centre

Comprehensive information, resources and material on the life, work, writings and teachings of H. P. Blavatsky

Among the many valuable study materials freely provided by The Blavatsky Study Centre are a unique full-length online biography of H. P. Blavatsky, biographical accounts and reminiscences of people who knew her, and rare documents about her life not available anywhere else on the web.

The site contains original editions of Blavatsky's major books to download for study, access to her voluminous articles, many of her letters and several of her writings that had supposedly been lost or were never published.

Philosophy, Gnosticism & Neoplatonism

In this section we review and recommend several very different websites, which, each in their own unique way, provide information, inspiration and comfort for sincere seekers after Truth and Wisdom.

Lead Kindly Light

lead kindly light

This most unusual website is the work of a little-known poet and mystic who writes under the pen-name Matthew Sutherland as well as other, anonymous contributors. It may best be described as a quiet retreat of Light for all those seeking comfort, hope and inspiration in these confusing times of test and trial when so much misinformation and fantasy leads the genuine seeker away from Truth into error and confusion.

Although we do not know any of the authors personally, we recognise them as fellow travellers on the path to the Light who are making a most valuable contribution to the search for Truth. Lead Kindly Light is a collection of articles on a wide variety of mystical, philosophical and occult subjects, the style and content of which is often reminiscent of the work of J Michaud PhD, so it is not surprising to find passages from his sublime books quoted in them.

Three of these articles are worthy of special mention, as each in its own way reprises the same themes and subjects as we cover on our website. In no particular order these articles are Materialism: the downward spiral; Inner Peace; and The Master Within. Each is well worth careful study. Lead Kindly Light also sell three unusual books: Keys for Escaping Prisoners by Matthew Sutherland, Wandering in the Books by Ian S. Major and Reflections, an anthology of mystical poetry. Keys for Escaping Prisoners is a volume of inspired verse which we briefly review in the sidebar. Wandering in the Woods is a an enchanting tale that charts the search for wisdom and inner peace with a depth of spiritual insight and true inspiration rarely encountered in books of this kind.

Finally, Lead Kindly Light also has a channel on YouTube — Fair Child of Beauty that combines music, imagery and the spoken word to inspire and uplift the viewer and listener. At the time we updated this page in February 2024, the channel only had three videos and a handful of subscribers, but we feel sure that will increase as it becomes better known.

The Gnostic Society Library

Online since 1994, this website contains over 1,000 separate documents related to the Gnostic tradition, including all major Gnostic writings and anti-Gnostic patristic texts.

Gnosticism may with every justification be regarded as an attempt to reconcile what remained of the Ancient Mystery Teachings with the emerging religion of Christianity. Gnosticism taught that wisdom could only be acquired through interior, intuitive means and not through dogmatic teaching or external ritual. Gnosticism is an invaluable theological and philosophical resource for anyone who wishes to investigate the esoteric side of Christianity and discover the hidden truths concealed in the Bible.

Among the many important documents in The Gnostic Society Library may be mentioned The Corpus Hermeticum, the Christian Apocrypha, the Nag Hammadi Library, the Dead Sea Scrolls, early Christian writings, and many rare Alchemical treatises. The site also contains the G. R. S. Mead collection of Gnostic writings, whose invaluable scholarship we acknowledge in the biographical note at right.

The Prometheus Trust

The Trust has republished the entire works of Thomas Taylor, the great English Neoplatonist, in a uniform edition of thirty-three volumes

The Trust's stated aims are "to encourage, promote and assist the flowering of philosophy as the living love of wisdom." These fine words are fully justified by the rare titles the Trust has chosen to publish in such high quality bindings, many of which were almost unobtainable, or so expensive as to put them out of the reach of all but the most wealthy collectors.

Those of you who have not previously encountered Thomas Taylor's inspired translations of the classics of Neoplatonism will find that several of them contain original versions of rare esoteric texts (see biographical note in the sidebar). Many of these texts have been quoted by several well-known Occult writers, both past and present without acknowledging their source. Such include 'Iamblichus On the Mysteries and Life of Pythagoras', 'The Theoretic Arithmetic of the Pythagoreans', 'The Arguments of the Emperor Julian Against the Christians', 'Mystical Hymns of Orpheus', 'The Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries', and the Complete works of Plato.

The Prometheus Trust website also contains a few extracts to read online, notably 'On the Mysteries of Bacchus', 'Plotinus On The Intelligible Beauty', and Socrates' famous 'allegory of the Cave' from Part 7 of Plato's Republic which you can also read in the sidebar of the final article on the Soul in our occult studies course.

Path of Regeneration

This most unusual blog traces out the spiritual path of regeneration in inspiring words, music and pictures

Path of Regeneration fits into no fixed category and promotes no particular creed. It simply offers comfort, nourishment and inspiration to all those seeking answers in these perplexing times of change.

The author has taken the words of many different philosophers and inspired writers and sensitively combined them with the music and artwork of the composers and artists of all times and places to inspire, comfort and delight every kind of seeker after Truth and Beauty.

Alchemy

The Alchemy Website by Adam McLean

the alchemy website

This enormous resource for all things alchemical is organised and maintained by Adam McLean

The site contains no less than 2,500 sections providing tens of thousands of pages of text, over 3000 images, over 300 complete alchemical texts, together with general reference material on alchemy. Although we do not know Mr McLean personally, we applaud his immense contribution to the serious study of alchemy and alchemical philosophy. Whether you are looking for a rare manuscript, specific information on particular alchemical operations, or simply wish to learn more about alchemy, this site will not disappoint you.

 

This page was last updated on 1 December 2024 — © Copyright occult-mysteries.org.


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