The Hidden Masters of the Occult

The Roots of Occultism

The term "occultism" first appeared in French in Jean-Baptiste Richard’s 1842 work, "Enrichissement de la langue française" ("Enrichment of the French Language"). However, its widespread usage was significantly influenced by Alphonse Louis Constant, who published as Éliphas Lévi in the 1850s and ’60s.

Often considered the "founder of occultism," Lévi was a dedicated Roman Catholic and socialist, fascinated by ancient esoteric traditions like ceremonial magic, Kabbalah, and tarot. His influential writings, particularly "Dogme et rituel de la haute magie" ("The Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic," 1854–1856), explored a supposed ancient, universal spiritual wisdom intended to bridge the gap between science and religion. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, inspired French figures like Stanislas de Guaita, Joséphin Péladan, and Papus continued to identify their beliefs and practices with occultism.

Hidden Masters

Helena Blavatsky, born in 1831 in Yekaterinoslav, Ukraine, was a Russian spiritualist and author. She co-founded the Theosophical Society to promote theosophy, a pantheistic philosophical-religious system. At 17, she married Nikifor V. Blavatsky, a Russian military officer, but they separated shortly after. Blavatsky became interested in occultism and spiritualism and traveled extensively throughout Asia, Europe, and the United States, claiming to have studied under Hindu masters in India and Tibet.

In 1873, she moved to New York City, where she met Henry Steel Olcott. Together, they founded the Theosophical Society in 1875. Her first significant work, "Isis Unveiled," was published in 1877, critiquing contemporary science and religion and advocating for mystical experiences as crucial to spiritual insight. Although it gained attention, the society faced challenges. In 1879, Blavatsky and Olcott relocated to India, establishing the Theosophical Society headquarters at Adyar, near Madras. There, they began publishing the journal "The Theosophist," which Blavatsky edited until 1888, garnering a strong following in India.

Blavatsky claimed to possess extraordinary psychic powers, but in 1884, while in Paris and London, the Indian press accused her of fabricating spiritual phenomena. Despite defending her innocence in Germany, she returned to India in 1884 and was warmly received. The 1885 "Hodgson Report" by the London Society for Psychical Research declared her a fraud; however, a century later, the society re-evaluated the report, stating Blavatsky was unjustly condemned. She left India in poor health and spent her final years in Germany, Belgium, and London. During this time, she worked on her meditative classic "The Voice of Silence" (1889) and her most important work, "The Secret Doctrine" (1888), which outlined theosophical teachings. It was followed by "The Key to Theosophy" in 1889. Her collected writings were published in 15 volumes between 1950 and 1991.

Like all humans, Blavatsky was imperfect. However, occult teachers don't need to be flawless; they aim to share knowledge without claiming superiority. Blavatsky encountered difficulties when questioned about "The Inner Secrets." Her followers pressured her to reveal the source of her wisdom. She couldn't simply say, "The knowledge is innate to me, as I've retained memories of my past lives, unlike others," as this would lead to further questions about why she remembered when others did not.

To protect herself, Blavatsky invented "The Secret Masters," beings she claimed had taught her, placing their supposed location in Tibet's remote and hard-to-reach land. Her claim that Masters visited and communicated with her led to misunderstandings about Masters being accessible to only a select few. Consequently, books purportedly "written at the feet of the Masters" often lack substance, much like tales of encounters with these elusive beings.

The Golden Dawn

Lévi and Blavatsky significantly impacted the esoteric traditions emerging from the late 19th century, many of which were labeled as occultism. Lévi’s ideas on ceremonial magic influenced the creation of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in 1880s Britain. Among its members was Aleister Crowley, who later founded his religion, Thelema, and wrote extensively on esoteric subjects. The Golden Dawn and Crowley also influenced Wicca, a modern Pagan religion that gained popularity in 1950s Britain and spread globally. Lévi’s influence is evident in smaller esoteric groups formed in the latter half of the 20th century, such as modern religious Satanism and Chaos Magick.

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, often called the Golden Dawn, was a secret society active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It focused on the study and practice of the occult, metaphysics, and the paranormal, primarily in Great Britain. The group emphasized spiritual growth and theurgy, significantly impacting 20th-century Western occultism and influencing movements like Wicca and Thelema.

The society was founded by Freemasons William Robert Woodman, William Wynn Westcott, and Samuel Liddell Mathers, with Westcott playing a pivotal role. In 1887, Westcott reached out to Anna Sprengel, a Rosicrucian who claimed to communicate with supernatural beings known as the Secret Chiefs. Sprengel approved the establishment of a Golden Dawn temple. By 1890, communication with her stopped, and Mathers allegedly connected with the Secret Chiefs himself, developing rituals for the Second Order.

The Secret Chiefs

The term "Secret Chiefs" describes superhuman adepts thought to be behind several secret magical orders. These mysterious figures were considered the true founders of the Golden Dawn. Like the Secret Masters, who were said to guide the Theosophical Society founded by Blavatsky, these leaders were part of the so-called “Great White Brotherhood,” a group of enlightened beings believed to influence human history for humanity's benefit.

The idea of the Secret Chiefs was preceded by the Superiores Incogniti, or hidden superiors, introduced by Baron von Hund in his Strikt Observanz Masonic system in the 18th century. These hidden leaders were thought to direct Masonic activities from behind the scenes.

In the Golden Dawn context, the Secret Chiefs were considered unknown magi, known as the "Concealed Rulers of the Wisdom of the True Rosicrucian Magic of Light." The founders of the Golden Dawn, W. Wynn Westcott, S. L. MacGregor Mathers, and W. R. Woodman, claimed to have contacted these mystical figures and received guidance and knowledge that shaped the order's teachings and rituals.

You Have Your Own Master

The truth is that there are and never have been any actual "Secret Chiefs" or "Hidden Masters." These concepts prevailed mainly because people often find it difficult to believe that the wisdom or inspiration they experience could ever originate from within themselves. Instead, these organizations attributed such insights to mysterious external sources.

This tendency to look outward for validation and guidance rather than inward for self-empowerment underscores a typical human inclination to seek authority outside ourselves. It also reflects a broader historical and cultural fascination with secret societies and hidden knowledge, still capturing people's imagination and curiosity today. Understanding this phenomenon invites us to consider the power of our minds and the potential for personal mastery and adeptship without the need for mythical intermediaries.

Understanding that the true Master resides within each individual's soul eliminates the need to seek a Master elsewhere. Jesus implied this by saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is within you," suggesting that all knowledge can be found within oneself.

The notion that one must live a celibate life, adopt vegetarianism, or abstain from alcohol and coffee to be an occultist is misguided. These are personal choices. True occultism imposes no such restrictions, allowing individuals to live freely and make their own choices.

All Occultism is founded on a single core principle inscribed on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi: "Know thyself." Wisdom emerges from self-discovery, for the Master—the eternal Soul, the Divine Spark—dwells within, awaiting recognition when one is ready. Before understanding the Hidden Master within and accessing this power, one must understand what the soul is. The soul is indestructible, a Divine Spark infused in each being from the dawn of creation.

Connecting with the Higher Self

From your earliest existence, even before becoming the simple form of an amoeba—a sea-dwelling, primitive life form without gender, multiplying by division—the Creator had already bestowed a Divine Spark from its essence upon you. This Divine Spark resides in you as much as it does in the mightiest Archangels. This Divine Spark is your soul. It is a part of the Creator and holds all knowledge. Although you don't remember every lesson from each reincarnation, they are inscribed on your soul and manifest as your Super Conscious Mind, akin to a trusted friend who seems a part of you. Some magical traditions refer to this connection to your higher self as "The Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel." We avoid this term to prevent confusion between the Superconscious Mind and Teaching Angels.

Your superconscious mind is an indestructible extension of the Creator and directly linked to the Godhead. It remains unharmed by human experiences because it transcends them. Though Angels act as intermediaries, channeling the Creator's power to assist humanity, your higher self connects with the Creator through them. Human perception limits your understanding, so even if you saw God, you wouldn’t grasp the vision, as your ideas would influence your interpretation.

The Creator is Light—so intense that it’s imperceptible by the human body. The Sun can blind you if you look at it too long, so imagine the brilliance of the Creator. Therefore, you do not physically see the Creator in the body. However, your soul perceives and conveys it through symbols you can comprehend. The higher mind differs from the lower mind in that the higher mind can learn anything, as taught by angels. The lower mind, however, is fallible and prone to errors, relying only on what you have learned in this life.

The essence of the Creator transcends human perception and understanding, existing in a realm far beyond our physical senses. Through the soul's connection to the divine, guided by the wisdom of angels and the higher mind's infinite capacity for learning, we begin to glimpse the unfathomable brilliance of the Creator. This spiritual journey is not about seeing with the eyes but understanding with the heart, recognizing that actual knowledge of the Creator comes not from our limited human experience but from an open, enlightened mind attuned to the eternal light of divinity.

Recommended Reading

"Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie" (The Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic)** by Éliphas Lévi

- This foundational text by Lévi explores the principles and practices of ceremonial magic and is essential reading for understanding occultism's roots.

"Isis Unveiled" by Helena Blavatsky

- Blavatsky's first major work, which critiques contemporary science and religion, advocating for the integration of mystical experiences.

"The Secret Doctrine" by Helena Blavatsky

- A cornerstone of theosophical teachings, this work delves into Blavatsky's esoteric philosophy and interpretations of ancient wisdom.

"The Voice of the Silence" by Helena Blavatsky

- Blavatsky's meditative classic that captures her philosophical views and spiritual insights.

"Aleister Crowley: The Beast in Berlin" by Tobias Churton

This insightful biography focuses on Crowley's time in Berlin, providing context for his influence on modern occultism and esoteric traditions.

"The Golden Dawn: The Original Account of the Teachings, Rites, and Ceremonies of the Hermetic Order" by Israel Regardie

- This comprehensive work offers a detailed account of the Golden Dawn's rituals, teachings, and influence on modern occult practices.

"The Book of Thoth: (Egyptian Tarot)" by Aleister Crowley

- Crowley's definitive guide to the tarot, providing deep insights into the esoteric meaning behind the cards.

"The Kabbalah Unveiled" by S.L. MacGregor Mathers

- An essential work for understanding Kabbalistic teachings and their influence on Western esoteric traditions.

"The Origins of the Mithraic Mysteries" by David Ulansey

- It delves into the ancient mystery religions, providing historical context for the esoteric traditions discussed in the script.

"Secret Teachings of the Hidden Masters" by S E Kenneth Cosentino     - This book uncovers common aspects of humanity by exploring the stream of consciousness that has enabled enlightenment across Earth.