• About the book
• Excerpt from the introduction
• From the back cover
• Table of contents
• Reviews

ABOUT THE BOOK

An introduction to that great body of wisdom at the heart of all spiritual teachings given throughout the ages. Only by discovering the common wellspring from which all their faiths have emerged will men and women truly come to understand their spiritual brotherhood, as children of the One Father - by whatever name they call him. Subjects include: the Divine Plan, evolution of human consciousness, the Spiritual Hierarchy, energies, the Seven Rays, karma, reincarnation, initiation, and a glossary of esoteric terms.
 

 EXCERPT FROM THE INTRODUCTION

In every age, or in times of exceptional crisis, great spiritual teachers have come into the world to enable mankind to take its next evolutionary step. We know them, among others, as Hercules, Rama, Sankaracharya, Krishna, Buddha, Mohammed and the Christ. Each has given a body of teaching, a central and common theme of which is 'right human relations'. For example:

Christianity: "...All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them..."
Buddhism: "In five ways should a clansman minister to his friends and familiars - by generosity, courtesy and benevolence, by treating them as he treats himself, and by being as good as his word."
Hinduism: "Do not to others, which if done to thee, would cause thee pain."
Islam: "No one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself."
Judaism: "What is hurtful to yourself, do not to your fellow man."
Taoism: "Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain and regard your neighbor's loss as your own loss".

From such simple teachings men have historically constructed complex dogma and ritual, willing to kill and be killed in the name of their ideology. Such religious intolerance has been, and continues to be, the basis for much of the discord and suffering in the world. When men and women of every faith come to understand that they share a common spiritual legacy, as children of One Father - by whatever name their tradition chooses to call Him - a new era of brotherhood and peace will begin.

This common wellspring of wisdom is an ancient body of spiritual teaching handed down from generation to generation, and known as the 'Ageless Wisdom'. As an esoteric science - meaning simply that it lies beyond the understanding or comprehension of the average person - it presents a systematic and comprehensive account of the evolutionary process, in man and nature, from an energetic standpoint: how the universe came to exist, how it operates, and man's place within it. Esotericism, as it is sometimes called, is also the art of working with those energies which emanate from the highest spiritual sources. From behind the scenes, these teachings have guided and shaped civilization after civilization, leading to all the great advances in human endeavor, be they in the sciences, politics, the arts or religion.

The Ageless Wisdom teaching was first made available to the general public around 1875 by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky in her seminal works: The Secret Doctrine and Isis Unveiled. Blavatsky established the Theosophical Society to introduce this 'new' perspective on history and human evolution. The intermediate phase of the teaching was revealed by Alice A. Bailey who, from 1919 to 1949, collaborated with a Master of Wisdom known as 'the Tibetan'. Through a process of telepathic overshadowing, the Master Djwhal Khul communicated a vast body of information about the world and its future. Since 1974, British artist Benjamin Creme has been the source of further revelations concerning the Ageless Wisdom and, in particular, about the reappearance of Maitreya, the Christ and World Teacher for the coming age - information which Creme receives through his moment-to-moment telepathic contact with a Master of Wisdom.

 FROM THE BACK COVER

"It has always been the policy of the Spiritual Hierarchy to keep humanity informed of, and in touch with, all aspects of esoteric knowledge that can safely be made open and exoteric.

For long centuries this has been possible to but a limited degree. Over the past century, however, more information has been given, and more knowledge released, than at any time in the history of the race. That this is so reflects the growing comprehension by man of the subtle inner laws governing the outer appearance of things and events and, at the same time, his sensed need to play a fully conscious part in his own evolution and development.

Standing as we do at the threshold of the new era, we may look with confidence to an unprecedented release of hitherto guarded teaching which, when absorbed and understood, will throw greater light on the mysteries of the universe and the nature of man's Being..." (the Master -, through Benjamin Creme)

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Esotericism / Source of the teaching / God / Energies / The Seven Rays / Rebirth and reincarnation / The Law of Cause and Effect / The Plan of Evolution / Evolution and initiation / The Masters of Wisdom / The Christ / The anti-christ / The origin of man / Meditation and service / Spirituality / Future changes / The emergence of the World Teacher - in brief / The reordering of priorities / Man must change or die / The Great Invocation / Prayer for the New Age / Esoteric glossary / Recommended reading

 REVIEWS

--The Book Reader Our purpose is to spiritualize matter. Esotericism is the philosophy (or science) of the evolutionary process. The Ageless Wisdom Teaching is as old as humanity itself and is taught by "men and women like us who have expanded their consciousness to include the spiritual levels." These understandings are from this very small, resonant book by Benjamin Creme, who has been the source of Ageless Wisdom for some thirty years - in particular, he has given us information about the reappearance of Maitreya, the Christ and World Teacher. Reincarnation, the Law of Cause and Effect, the plan of evolution: "Over and above [that material which has an emotional appeal for the masses] is a very mental and spiritually oriented body of teachings given by the Masters specifically for the initiates and the disciples of the world, which acquaints them with the Plan, with their possible part in that Plan, and invites them to take part in the implementation of the Plan." The Christ, the anti-christ, meditation, spirituality: "It does not matter to the Self for one instant whether you are a Christian or a Buddhist or a Moslem or a Hindu, or of no religion at all; what matters is that you register yourself as the Self, that you identify with the Self, which is the same as God." Thought-provoking, spirit-provoking, a dazzlingly incisive survey, performed with fine clarity. The question-and-answer format throughout is a delight. A more pithy presentation is not likely to come along for quite some time.

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