Some more things that you may or may not have read. But are worth the time and effort.
For the New Agers out there, if you have not read this, you really REALLY need to.
OAHSPE - Seven Books of Spiritual Wisdom by John Ballou Newbrough and David A. Cardone is a book with very signifigant ties in the New Age, esoteric Christianity and modern Occultism. It has greatly influenced other literature of similar genres. OAHSPE - Seven Books of Spiritual Wisdom is less well known than it probably should be, considering it has great bearing on the undercurrent of modern philosophic thought on Western mysticism as a whole, and also is a very huge reason for many Christian cults indirectly in the twentieth century.
It was authored in 1882 by John Ballou ( later editions would show co-authorship by John Ballou Newbrough & David A. Cardone ) under the title OAHSPE, a true channeled book. It has since been published as OAHSPE; A New Bible, in the Words of Jehovih and his Angel Ambassadors, OAHSPE; A Kosmon Bible, in the Words of Jehovih and his Angel Ambassadors...and also recently as OAHSPE - Seven Books of Spiritual Wisdom. The book has a decidedly Biblical tone, so that the locals in the Bible Belt to which it was originally marketed, would be encouraged to read it.
The choice of how to interpret OAHSPE is not unlike Biblical interpretations of sacred scripture, very wide open and varied with the reader and their intentions.
This is the quote from the cover page:
"Oahspe, a new Bible in the Words of Jehovih and his Angel Embassadors. A sacred history of the dominions of the higher and lower heavens on the Earth for the past twenty-four thousand years, together with a synopsis of the cosmogony of the universe; the creation of planets; the creation of man; the unseen worlds; the labor and glory of gods and goddesses in the etherean heavens."
Amazon describes this item as thus on their site:
"Oahspe Seven Books of Spiritual Wisdom is more than a book. It is a way of life. Filled with inspiration and spiritual truths. Oahspe is pronounced: O as in o'clock, AH as in father, SPE as in speak. Oahspe means SKY, EARTH and SPIRIT. Oahspe Seven Books of Spiritual Wisdom teaches mankind to recognize oneness with the "infinite spirit of the universe", and accept this infinite intelligence, as a guiding light and inspiration. It contains the highest ethical, moral and spiritual teachings. This book answers many questions, explaining many profound mysteries. It floods the mind of the new reader with "New Light" on subjects life and death and is a miracle in itself. "
Wow that is a mouthful!
For readers of esoteric and cryptic occult and new age literature this is assured to be of interest. OAHSPE covers many topics including but not limited to; reincarnation, the interaction of aliens with humans and human cultures, pole shift history, details the pole shift that sunk Atlantis describing why Atlantis was doomed to destruction, portents the coming pole shifts, predicting of a Planet X or the Red Star, what is called the Aftertime (with its many orphans) is described, along with the polarization of the good hearted from the selfish of mankind into different camps and why the US Government was assisted to become a democracy in the past with the influence of alien and human cultures. The Oashpe is not easy to read, due to its style, but its meaning is clear enough...to those whom are looking for an alternative outlook on sacred texts and human history.
OAHSPE offers is the insights into New Age and occult ideas of Angelic spirit guides and this is gone into with great details. For example OASHPE descibes several levels of spiritual development in it's Glossary :
"Es'yan : A newborn spirit. When a mortal dies, and his spirit departs into Heaven, it is called an es'yan. An infant spirit.
Chaotics : Deranged angels, such as are killed in war or in anger.
Asaphs : Angels in Heaven whose office it is to receive the spirit when a mortal dies, and bear it to the place prepared for it. Their rank is next below Ashars.
Ashars : Guardian angels who are appointed over mortals, to be with them during life. They deliver the spirit in time of death into the hands of the Asapha. They also keep the record of the mortal, which is also given to the Asapha in Heaven, along with the newborn spirit, which is called an es'yan for a certain season. Ashars are next in rank to Loo'is.
Loo'is : Angels who provide the pre-natal condition for such mortal births as are designed for especial work by the Gods or Lords.
Daveas : Bad angels, spirits that deceive and tempt. A prince of liars."
OAHSPE also has ever been acclaimed for it is prophetic and predictive as a contemporary text. Newbrough in the original editions (from the Book of Judgement) of OAHSPE :
"But this shall happen unto many : leaning to speak by entrancement or by inspiration, they shall imagine themselves controlled by certain angels, when, in fact, it is only their own spirit, eliminated from the corporeal senses. Others, being influenced, shall imagine it is themselves and not an angel, whereas it is an angel speaking through them. To them, that have not experienced elimination of the spirit-self from the coporeal self, all speech is believed to be of the corporeal senses only, or of a diseased condition. For many such, even after death, will not admit they are dead, because of the darkness upon them. Let no man say that only seers and prophets and such persons as work signs and miracles are under the influence of spirits ; for even as much as these, so are other mortals under the dominion of spirits. Yea, the infidel, the disbeliever, the philosopher, the lawyer, the judge, the preacher, the fanatic, and all others, are more controlled by the spirits of the dead than by their own personal spirit."
A new world is predicted that will have no need of managers, salesmen, lawyers, accountants, stock brokers, bankers, or soldiers...instead (in the Book of Jehovih's Kingdom on Earth) there will be needed :
"Thereupon, different persons spake, and the sum of their wisdom was that there should be: A group of architects; A group of clothiers; A group of dietitians; A group of engineers; A group of manufacturers; A group of horticulturists; A group of agriculturists; A group of botanists; A group of nurses; A group of physicians; A group of artists; A group of musicians..."
With the size of OAHSPE in print, it is amazing that there will be no need for a group of printing press workers and publishers still on Earth.
Note to all potential readers, OAHSPE has many aspects, and it is to be taken with a grain of salt for most. Yet is a very interesting read none the less, and is a little known work for its legitimate scholars and conspiracy theorists alike. If this sounds like you're cup of tea, then please enjoy.OAHSPE - Seven Books of Spiritual Wisdom by John Ballou Newbrough and David A. Cardone is a must for collectors of early new age and American mysticism of the 20th Century.
For the mystics out there...this will complete your libraries.
The full title on most editions of this book is - The Secret Teachings of All Ages: An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy. Which just goes to prove that real books don't have short titles. This is the great work of Manly Palmer Hall and illustrator J. Augustus Knapp. These two artisans created one of the most important compendiums of its kind in The Secret Teachings of All Ages.. Perhaps the only book to tackle the wide array of cultures, mythologies, and antiquarian histories. It has been the source of controversy within the esoteric communities for almost a century.
The Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly Palmer Hall is both famed in it's own Rosy Crux circles, and at the same time is so little known that there are probably thousands of books that have used it as a reference work (some may not even know that their quotes from other great references are actually taking their inspiration from Hall who dedicated a great deal of his life just to this book's completion.
The earliest editions are nearly three feet tall and come with all 200 illustrations in full color, and it is one of the books I have ever seen that truly can be called a work of art - the traditions of illuminated manuscripts and other post-Christian era occult works. I fore warn the potential reader that this is not an ordinary book. Even getting through a few chapters can take all the concentration a gifted scholar is able to muster. Yet if you take the time to absorb the wealth of knowledge contained herein - you will have a better education in mysticism and the occult than most.
To show the wide acceptance of this book as a reference work - Here is how Publisher's Weekly describes it for the masses:
"In 1928, a 20-something Renaissance man named Manly Hall self-published a vast encyclopedia of the occult, believing that "modern" ideas of progress and materialism were displacing more important and ancient modes of knowledge. Hall's text has become a classic reference, dizzying in its breadth: various chapters explore Rosicrucianism, Kabbalah, alchemy, cryptology, Tarot, pyramids, the Zodiac, Pythagorean philosophy, Masonry and gemology, among other topics. This affordably priced edition would be vastly improved by a new foreword, placing the work in some kind of historical and critical context and introducing readers to the basic contours of Hall's sweeping corpus. Instead, we have a disciple's adulatory 1975 foreword, which merely parrots the same themes of mystery and esoterica that are espoused in the book. Readers who are unfamiliar with Hall's work will be at a loss in ferreting out which chapters have stood the test of time and which have been vigorously debunked (like the one on Islam, which actually uses novelist Washington Irving as a primary source on the prophet Muhammad). However, they will also marvel at the sheer scope of Hall's research and imagination, and at J. Augustus Knapp's famous illustrations, including a 16-page color insert. " - Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
For once ole Amazon has a product review that is accurate and useful :
"The Secret Teachings of All Ages is perhaps the most comprehensive and complete esoteric encyclopedia ever written. The sheer scope and ambition of this book are stunning. In this book Manly P. Hall has successfully distilled the essence of more arcane subjects than one would think possible. He covers Rosicrucianism and other secret societies, alchemy, cryptology, Kabbalah, Tarot, pyramids, the Zodiac, Pythagorean philosophy, Masonry, gemology, Nicholas Flammel, the identity of William Shakespeare, The Life and Teachings of Thoth Hermes Trismegistus, The Qabbalah, The Hiramic Legend, The Tree of the Sephiroth, Mystic Christianity, and there are more than 200 illustrations included here. This is essential reading for anyone wishing to explore esoteric knowledge." - Amazon product review.
"Into this volume has been compressed the quintessence of a colossal learning. It is a living human document, pulsating with the mental and spiritual vibrations of a profound thinker who takes knowledge for his province and reduces whole libraries to a single tome." - George Barron, Curator of the De Young Museum of San Francisco, in his tribute to this remarkable work.
There is a big difference between this newer edition and manly of the scarce but available older hardcover editions. At the end of this article I have provided a few links to several older editions that collectors may want to consider for purchasing, you can make up your own mind. - My opinion is simple. This newer paperback edition is one of the worst examples of reprint and bastardization of one of the 20the century's masterworks.
Yes inevitable as the industry is about selling out to the lowest common dollar, this would not have happened if Hall were alive to see his great book reduced to a college reader text. Trust me even the smaller 80s editions in hardcover will be well worth the couple of extra dollars that may be incurred. If you are knowledgeable of Manly P. Hall and this text, you already understand. I have had this for many years in my personal collection. I believe it is one of top ten books you can read before you die, and one of the classics ever written in human literature.
Even modern Publisher Llewellyn has nothing but high praises for 'Secret Teachings'.
"Simply put, this is the most beautiful and complete occult book ever published. It represents a lifetime of research into the mythology, symbolism, and magical practices of countless cultures. From the secrets of Isis to the teachings of mystic Christianity, nearly every occult dogma imaginable is represented here. The book is full of giant illustrations, some of which fold out into a magnificent two-page splendor. This is the definitive guide to secret societies, famous figures, and more a must for every personal library." - Llewellyn New Times
And recommendation for the person who has everything.
The Long Hard Road Out of Hell by Marilyn Manson and Neil Strauss is a work of art. This book is co-authored with Neil Strauss, who is a master of the biography genre, Strauss's name may encourage some literary readers to give it a whirl. As good as any reason to be able to say you read it and not because you are a Manson fan. In the genre of autobiography - The Long Hard Road Out of Hell is a modern masterpiece and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes reading about life in the fast lane with rock mythology.
In this age when print is giving way to digital media, The Long Hard Road Out of Hell is an unusually artistic piece of pop culture literature, if you have never seen this book. Or.at least open it up and admire the amount of hours spent in photoshop and illustrator just doing the text layouts. When released it was state of the art and expensive to print I have no doubt, being printed in a combination of black &; white / with gradient color undertoning for the cover art.
When I read this quite a few years back, I wasn't a huge Marilyn Manson fan at all. Rather than admit I'm not as cool as the other doppelgangers, I will admit that I grew to acquire a taste for the whole package that Marilyn and the boys bring to the table. This one not only spent an unexpected amount of time on the national bestsellers list, it was the text that won over a world wide audience because of its clever use of photo montage combined with a collection of dairy like glimpses into Marilyn Manson as a personage, an artist, a band, and a commercially calculated production for the masses.
"One doesn't usually think of rock stars as insightful, but, against all odds, glam-trash superstar Marilyn Manson has written a book that is actually an intelligent look at growing up. This autobiographical bildungsroman brings out the creepiest aspects of childhood, conveying the terror and fascination that young Marilyn (then called Brian) felt when looking through his grandfather's pornography, getting his first French kiss, and being taunted by the girls he wanted to "date." Manson has the benefit of having grown up as an outcast and loser and then having become a star without forgetting what he went through. This gives him an incredibly broad perspective, which he brings to bear on his ordinary life in order to convey the more potent and frightening moments that shaped him into the pale-skinned weirdo that the Christian Right loves to hate. Best of all, Manson is shockingly honest, and portrays himself as occasionally stupid, self-centered, over-sensitive, ignoble, and, mostly, highly fallible and human. It's a long way from the auto-hagiographies that other stars have written, and it's easily one of the best reads in celebrity bio." -- James DiGiovanna (Amazon.com)
Here is just a sampling of what the wider press and reviews of the day had to say about Manson's book...and not the pendulum swinging between dislike and jumping on the bandwagon to not alienate the younger readers and their music idol.
"Makes Madonna's infamous SEX seem downright wholesome by comparison." -- Elle
"Repulsive...well-written and uncommonly addictive." -- Chicago Sun-Times
"Fascinating, sleazy account of his coming of age and ascent into damnation." -- Us
"If the Marquis De Sade had a son in a hard-rock band who wrote a book, this would be the book." -- Christian Science Monitor
The book has plenty of fun and mayhem for the kids. Included in its pages are memoirs of the Antichrist Superstar tour. With many noteworthy moments that come to mind in reflection. Such as a question and answer quiz to determine of you are a drug addict, a backstage story about how a singer can get so bored on tour that he decides giving fellatio to his band mates is a good time killer, and why you should never listen to music by Morrissey or the Smiths ever again. There are points of metaphysical note, schizophrenic fever, and dark comedic relief that should entertain the high and low brow alike as readers.
But why say it with excessive words when the fans say it best themselves:
"It's good for anyone who reads. If you hate him, this book will educate you on why you're an idiot.
If you hate his music but like his ideas, then this would be a good read. " - Lori A. Yoder , USA
"The Long Hard Road Out of Hell reveals that Marilyn Manson is not a product of his environment. Everything that you believe about him is the result of a carefully calculated plan to become the world's most shocking musical and visual artist. " - Nadeem Muaddi , Washington DC
"If you're unfamiliar with the genius of his music the book is still worth reading; if you're unfamiliar with the use of recreational products then you may miss some of the more salient points." - Edmund Zielinski, Kosovo
And I leave you with these two last quotes that made me laugh as they were unexpected perspectives to find.
"I will probably give him a hug if I ever meet him just not caring what he has become." - J.R. Key, GA
"I bought this book for my son and he loved it. I decided to read about this strange man and enjoyed it. He is really an interesting man. " - C. Wilcox, Ottawa Canada
See Marilyn Manson is bringing families closer with every million selling copy that flies off the shelves.
"I wanna live, I wanna love, but it's a Long Hard Road Out of Hell..." - Marilyn Manson
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