Man: The Grand Symbol of the Mysteries

Man, according to Manly P. Hall, is at the center of the Mystery School tradition. We are the living reflection of the Creator, and all traditions in Western Esotericism are based upon it.“Our purpose has been to bring together not all but only a small part of what may be termed the lore of the human body. For the most part, the origins of the various doctrines are set forth in the text. Some have come from Eastern scriptures, some from the Hermetic fragments. We have called upon a wide diversity of old authorities and, strangely enough, there is an evident consistency among them conspicuously lacking with the moderns. The sages, furthermore, approached their task with veneration; an underlying realization of the dignity of life adds charm to every conclusion. They viewed the human body not as the man but as the house of the man. Antiquity was convinced of immortality and among the wise the science of the soul occupied first place. Much work remains to be done in the field of occult anatomy. There are many old writings yet to be consulted, libraries unavailable to the public to be explored, manuscripts to be deciphered. The Codices of Central America must be made to give up their secrets. The temples libraries of Asia are filled with priceless documents, for in India are preserved records invaluable to science. Our effort, then, is primarily to stimulate interest and to focus the attention of the learned upon this engrossing theme. We are subject to errors which time alone can correct, but the principle of the correspondence existing between man and the world is established upon incontestable grounds.”—Manly P. Hall

From the Publisher

The Philosophical Research Society is a nonprofit organization founded in 1934 for the purpose of assisting thoughtful persons to live more graciously and constructively in a confused and troubled world. The Society is entirely free from educational, political, or ecclesiastical control. Dedicated to an idealistic approach to the solution of human problems, the Society's program stresses the need for the integration of religion, philosophy, and the science of psychology into one system of instruction. The goal of this instruction is to enable the individual to develop a mature philosophy of life, to recognize his proper responsibilities and opportunities, and to understand and appreciate his place in the unfolding universal pattern.

About the Author

Manly P. Hall was the founder of the Philosophical Research Society. In over seventy-five years of dynamic public activity, he delivered more than 8,000 lectures in the United States and abroad, and authored countless books, essays, and articles. In his lectures and writings, Manly Hall always emphasized the practical aspects of philosophy and religion as they applied to daily living. He restated for modern man those spiritual and ethical doctrines which have given humanity its noblest ideals and most adequate codes of conduct. Believing that philosophy is a working tool to help the individual in building a solid foundation for his dreams and purposes, Manly Hall steadfastly sought recognition of the belief that world civilization can be perfected only when human beings meet on a common ground of intelligence, cooperation, and worthy purpose.

Reviews

News