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Established in America in 1928, The Gnostic Society is dedicated to
advancing the study, understanding, and individual experience of Gnosis. 
"He who has ears, let him hear!" 

LA Weekly cover story about Dr. Hoeller and The Gnostic Society

Coming to visit us?  Since 2015, activities of The Gnostic Society and Ecclesia Gnostica have been held at the historic Besant Lodge in Hollywood Hills, California.  The Besant Lodge is located on North Beachwood Drive, just below the famous Hollywood sign.  Parking is on the street around the facility, and it is advised that you come a bit early to find street parking, which improves as you go north past our address.  (Map and Directions)  Come and join us!

Lectures listed here are given at The Gnostic Society of Los Angeles, California.  Unless otherwise noted, these programs are held every Friday evening at 8:00 PM.  and are presented by Dr. Stephan Hoeller.  Lectures are free and open to the public (donations are appreciated).  Refreshments are offered following the lecture.  Further information is available by calling 323-467-2685.

Many of the lectures given at the Gnostic Society of Los Angeles are available for online download in MP3 format at the BC Recordings website, along with a growing catalog on many topics.  Take a look -- visit the online catalog!

Free Online Lectures:  Samples are available for free download at the BC Recordings website.

This page lists the current lecture series, with a view back through 2009. (An archival list of lectures through 1996 is also provided.)  For information about purchase and download of past lectures presented at the Gnostic Society, go to BC Recordings, an audio publishing effort advancing the work of Dr. Hoeller since 1979.
Dr. Hoeller's Annual Tarot Forecast for the U.S.A. for the year 2024.  Video available at the BC Recordings YouTube channel.

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October and November 2024:  Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings"

The Myth of the Aquarian Age
An introduction to the Esoteric Myth as conveyed in story and poetic form by J.R.R. Tolkien.

October 11:  Psychological Types in "Lord of the Rings":  Hobbits, Dwarves, Men and Elves. The anti-types:  Orcs and turn-coat Wizards.

October 18:  Sauron:  The Mystery of Iniquity.

November 8:  The Hobbit as Hero:  The victory of the "Little People's" values.

November 15:  Magic in "The Lord of the Rings":  Saruman and Gandalf.

November 22:  The Return of the King of the Soul:  The archetype of spiritual monarchy as the symbol of Individuation.

November 29:  NO LECTURE: Thanksgiving Vacation.

Theosophical Society Programs

NO NOVEMBER MEETING due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the next meeting of Theosophical Book Club is Thursday, December 26th at 8 PM.  (4th Thursday of the month.)

Gnostic Society Programs

Sahaja Yoga Meditation:  Led by Rev. Birl Martin.  Most Saturdays (except the last Saturday of every month) from 10:30 AM to Noon.  Contact Birl at 909-612-1026.

September 2024:  The Fruits of the Esoteric Tradition on the American Continent

The tradition initiated by Hermeticism and Gnosticism in the Mediterranean area and its initial extensions in the New World.  European esotericism comes to America.  Was Christopher Columbus a Templar?  Spanish mysticism interacting with Native Traditions.  Can Esotericism in America recover from its secular obscuration?

September 6:  Occult Pilgrims:  European mystery sects come to America; the beginnings of early Spiritualism.

September 13:  The Square and Compass Join the Rosy Cross:  New York and the Hudson Valley becoming the region that changed the world.

September 20:  Blavatsky and the Divine Wisdom (Theosophy):  The Russian Mystery Woman and her Yankee helper who changed the mind of the world.

September 27:  Thoughts on the Future of Esotericism:  Is the New Age now "old hat"?  What is the Future of the Inner Tradition?  The role of Manly P. Hall as the archetypal Esoteric Teacher.

August 2024:  The Divine Romance of the Esoteric Tradition

The Inner Story of the Secret Tradition
The history and message of the age-old Esoteric Tradition in the World with special attention to its nature in the West.

August 2:  The Two Traditions:  Outer & Inner:  The Exoteric and Esoteric Traditions, as complimentary and not opposed to each other.  A New Perspective on the Subject.

August 9:  Hermes and his Secret:  The Greco-Egyptian manifestation of the Inner Tradition and its latter-day relevance.  The Wisdom of the "Secret God" Hermes and his Magico-Mystical theory and practice.

August 16:  The Hermetic Mystical-Magical Rebirth:  The rebirth of the Esoteric Tradition during the Renaissance.  The heritage of "Alexander the God" and Esotericism reborn.

August 23:  The Secret Brotherhoods as Successors of the Ancient Esoteric Tradition:  Templars, Rosicrucians, Freemasons and their role as guardians of the Secret Tradition as well as their successors.

August 30:  Recent Past and Near Future of the Esoteric Tradition:  From H.P. Blavatsky to the New Age and beyond.  The growth and modifications of the once Secret Tradition in the modern and post modern era.

July 2024:  Jung's Two Great Gifts to Humanity

A concentrated evaluation of Jung's two great Messages in his inspired psychology and his prophetic experience as revealed in the "Red Book".

July 12:  "The Symbolic Life":  Jung's psychological approach to Spirituality.

July 19:  "The Red Book (Libre Novus)" of C.G. Jung:  An Introduction to the prophetic work of Jung. C.G. Jung as mystic and occultist.

July 26:  In Dr. Hoeller's absence:  Tarot Reflections by Gnostic Society Readers.

June 2024:  The Future Role of Myth in the 21st Century

In all past ages, the central myths of the culture influenced the life and imagination of the people.  Joseph Campbell, the greatest American Mythologist worked on creating a Myth for the Future.  How do such predictions appear at the present or are we moving into a mythless period or our culture and country.

June 7:  What is a Myth in this (or any other) Age?:  What is a Myth in this (or any other) Age?  Are we becoming rationalistic materialists to whom a myth is a lie?  Or can we recover from existing motifs the ageless myth of the future?

June 14:  The Primal Myths of our History:  The myths of transcendence, like the Christian myth, combined with the Grail.  How we may find contemporary applications of the Great Myths of the past.

June 21:  C.G. Jung and the Myth of Interior Meaning:  Contemporary conclusions to be reached on the basis of the Psyche as the source of interior meaning.  The ongoing revelation of Jung's Red Book.

June 28:  The Myth of Patriotism:  Is it still relevant in modern to post-modern American society?  Gnostic view of patriotism.  Manly P. Hall and his thesis of the American Myth

May 2024:  Blavatsky and Occult Magic

Rescuing Magic from Sorcery
Pointing to the mystical core of Blavatsky's Gnostic magical objectives. The demarcation between Theosophical study and Gnostic Magic. Not all magic leads to selfishness, although some do.

May 3:  Occult History:  The perpetual presence of transcendental magic in the world.

May 10:  The Perpetual Occult Revival with Blavatsky's Successors and Heirs:  Dawning of the New Age.

May 17:  Blavatsky's Gnostic Magic in the 21st Century:  How to remove 20th century pseudo content from the Esoteric Tradition.

May 24:  Gnostic Magic:  Is it the same as Ancient Wisdom?  The nature of Esoteric Tradition in the New Age.

May 31:  What Does the Magical Future hold?  Forecasting future developments in Jung's "Red Book".

April 2024:  Tarot, The Ancient Art Today

Introductory and exploratory talks by Dr. Hoeller, augmented subsequently by presentations from Tarot practitioner/members of the Gnostic Society.  Evenings conclude with Tarot readings for members of the audience, as time permits.  Pre-program every evening at 8PM: Early arrivals who wish to receive readings will be paired with one of our readers.  After both parties shuffle, the cards are dealt in the chosen pattern, and prepared for projection.  The reader will subsequently interpret the reading for all in attendance to witness.

April 5:  Tarot, Oracle of Past and Future:  Tarot's Major Arcana, Minor Arcana and the Court Cards.

April 12:  Divination and the Celtic Cross:  Dr. Hoeller begins the session with "The Role of Divination in History, and its contrast to "Fortune Telling".  "Jung and the Celtic Cross" by Bryan Campbell.

April 19:  Readings with Tarot:  Dr. Hoeller recalls epic moments from his Tarot reading experiences.  Followed by guest speaker Elan Trinidad presenting ³Visual Storytelling, Pop-Culture and the Tarot².  Christina Avalos will give a presentation.

April 26:  Tarot Past and Present:  Dr Hoeller speaks on Eliphas Levi and the Golden Dawn.  Jeriel Smith presents "Freemasonry and the Tarot".

March 2024:  Who Are The Gnostics?

The nature, practice and insights of the Gnostic tradition and its relevance to the present strange world!  The greater timeless origins and perennial principles of Gnosis.

March 1:  Where Do We Come From?  The origins of existence, human and other.  The Esoteric modality of human and Cosmic Genesis.

March 8:  The Ambivalent Creation and its directing Agencies:  The "Ersatz God", or Demiurge and his depredation.

March 22:  The Coming Spiritual Freedom of Gnosis:  What liberates us is not any dogma, or biblical tale, but Gnosis!

February 2024:  The Gnostic Sophia: Her Past, Present andFuture

The Deific Feminine Principle from Classical Antiquity, and the Gnostic Tradition as the principle source of the recognition of the deific feminine archetype.  Its name is Sophia (Greek: "Wisdom") and Sapientia (Latin: "Wisdom").  The feminist era of the 20th Century has revived interest in this archetypal image.  In these lectures we re-vision this divine image and perceive its presence in history, past and present.

February 2:  Goddess Figures in the Past and in many Cultures:  Greco-Roman, Egyptian, Hindu, Buddhist and their psychological analogues.

February 9:  Sophia, Goddess in Exile:  Message of the Sophia Myth, as recounted in the book "Pistis Sophia" and kindred sources.

February 16:  Sophia, Spiritual Mother of the World:  Sophia's relationship to the Demiurge, Yaldabaoth, and the moral ambivalence to the created world.

February 23:  Sophia and the Blessed Virgin Mary:  The importance of the Madonna in both West and East.  Lourdes, Fatima, Medjugorje: The immense importance of the figure of the Holy Mother Mary in world history.

January 2024:  C.G. Jung's Magic for the Future

The inspiration of Jung the Gnostic Prophet is conveyed.

January 12:  SPECIAL PROGRAM:  Dr. Hoeller's Annual Tarot Forecast for the U.S.A. for the year 2024.  Video available at the BC Recordings YouTube channel.

January 19:  How to bring about a Revival of the American Spirit:  The Spiritual Support of the Founders as applied today.

January 26:  The Return of the Enlightenment's Gnosis:  The philosophical foundations of America; the New Atlantis.

December 2023:  God of the Gnostics

What is the nature of the Gnostic God Image and how does it differ from that of various cultures?

December 1:  The Need for a Higher Power:  How the secular culture of our age suffers from a lack of awareness of a Higher Power and how the Gnosis may remedy this deficiency.

December 8:  The Gnostic Demiurge as an important God Image of Gnosis:  Is there a "Creator God", whose imperfect creation we inhabit  How may we resist the influence of the Demiurge and his Archons?

December 15:  One god or Many?  The helpful presence in Gnostic reality of Sophia, Mary and of Angels.

December 29:  Christmas, the Birthday of the Divine and the New Year:  Is there a message of Divine Presence at Christmastide?  How may we facilitate the strengthening of the Divine Light at New Years?

November 2023:  Great Archetypes of the Gnosis

A review of the major archetypal figures of the Gnostic spiritual tradition.

November 3:  Sophia, the Greatest of Exiles:  The psycho-spiritual archetype of the Feminine.  Myth of the exile of Sophia and her relationship to the Logos and to Mary Magdalene. Is the Age of Sophia approaching?.

November 17:  The Logos, and His Embodiments in World History:  The redeeming and informing role of this supernal Archetype as manifest in the great Messengers of Light (Including Christ, Buddha, Mani and others).

October 2023:  A Summary of Gnostic Teachings

A Quintessential summary of specific Gnostic Teachings.

October 6:  In the Beginning:  The nature and importance of the motion of the ultimate reality in Gnostic cosmology.  How do we react to ultimate reality?

October 13:  Gnosis as Awakening to the Real:  The awakening of the sparks of deific light by the impulse of Gnosis.

October 20:  The Messengers of Light and their Mysteries:  Buddha, Jesus, Mani and future Messengers and their Mission.

October 27:  Hallowe'en, a Festival of Lost Meanings:  Dr. Hoeller's annual brief discourse and Hallowe'en Party.  Costumes and/or decorations are most welcome to add to the fun of the season!

September 2023:  The Hymn of the Pearl, The Gnostic Monomyth

Also called "The Hymn of the Robe of Glory", as a monomyth it is a myth that contains the theme of all or several individual myths of a tradition.  This hymn, contained in the Act of the Apostle Thomas (not of the Nag Hammadi Collection) is a poetic narrative, depicting the journey of a celestial Gnostic being to earth in the search for a treasure of transcendental origin.  This scripture indicates the recovery of spiritual Gnosis in an earthly environment.  Recently novelist David Bentley Hart published a splendid fantasy novel entitled "Kenogaia" (A Gnostic Tale) in part based on this hymn.  (Angelico Press, 2021.)  Translation of the original text by Hans Jonas, pioneer Gnostic Scholar.

September 1:  Thomas and the Pearl Poem:  The origins and purpose of the poem and its relationship to the apostle Didymos Judas Thomas.

September 8:  The Messenger from Heaven:  The Search for the Pearl begins.

September 15:  Early Part of the Journey:  Descending from Heaven.

September 22:  The Celestial Being and Earthly Slumber:  Receiving the Letter from Heaven and the Awakening.

September 29:  The Reawakening and Return to the Mission:  The ascent to Heaven and the presenting of the Pearl.

August 2023:  Four Great Gnostic Gospel Teachings

By a curious synchronicity, both the canonical (orthodox) Gospels and the Nag Hammadi Gnostic Scriptures are four in number.  (Four is a number of completion in C.G. Jung's teachings.)  Mark, Matthew, Luke and John are thus completed and supplemented by the four Gnostic Gospels of Thomas, Philip, Truth and the Gospel of the Egyptians.  This is an attempt at bringing forth the contemporary relevance and potential for Gnosis of these four secret Gospels.  It may also become a new look at these sayings.

August 4:  Words of the Prime Gnostic Master-Teacher:  Discerning of the unique wisdom of the Gospel of Thomas, which consists exclusively of sayings attributed to Jesus

August 11:  The Mystery of the Bridal Chamber:  Did the founder of Christianity practice the union of the opposites with His disciples?

August 18:  The Gospel of Truth and its Esoteric Christology:  Was the Christian Messiah a Gnostic Hierophant rather than a Hebrew Prophet?

August 25:  Gnostic Magic; Sacramental, Theurgic and more:  Implications of the works of Gnostic Magic throughout the ages.

July 2023:  Nature of the Esoteric Tradition

Its Re-Emergence in the 19th, 20th and 21st Centuries
For many centuries, this tradition functioned as a secret movement, until it came to the fore in modern times through the activities of two American citizens, Col. H.S. Olcott and H.P. Blavatsky. Other components (from France, Germany and the East) joined it in the last two centuries. Will the past of this tradition influence its future?

July 14:  American Esotericism:  Was the Independence of the U.S.A. advanced by Esoteric forces?

July 21:  The Rise of French Occultism:  Eliphas Levi, Papus and the Master Philippe of Lyon.

July 28:  The Esoteric Future:  What direction will the 21st Century Esoteric current proceed to?

June 2023:  Inspired Literature in Our Age

Dr. Hoeller deals with some of the literary inspiration of our times.  As author of more than five published books, Dr. Hoeller draws on some of his personal experiences as well.

June 2:  Literary Inspiration, Its nature and workings:  How to invoke and utilize such literature.

June 16:  J.R.R. Tolkien and the Myth of Two Centuries:  "The Lord of the Rings" in an esoteric psychological perspective.

June 23:  Tolkein and "The Lord of the Rings":  The Coming of the Spiritual King.

June 30:  Tolkien and Wizardry in Esoteric History:  Gandalf the Gray, as the Magical Archetype of the Ages.

May 2023:  Myths of Wisdom

The word "myth" is often misused to indicate an untrue tale.  In these talks, the speaker will indicate the higher than merely factual character of Myths and their message for the culture.

May 5:  Blavatsky's Myth:  "The Secret Doctrine":  This work was called a "Myth" by the late noted Theosophist Joy Mills.  The myth of Theosophical mysticism as against Theosophical doctrine.

May 12:  The Rosicrucian Myth:    Christian Rosenkreuz and the sources of European non-Catholic mysticism.

May 19:  The Message of the Arthurian Myth:    The timeless tale of Arthur's Round Table and its mysticism.

May 26:  The Perennial Gnostic Myth reborn:    Nag Hammadi and its coming effect on the culture.  The rebirth of Gnosis in the present and future.

April 2023:  The Tarot

Dr. Hoeller's talk on the Tarot at P.R.S. on February 15 aroused some public interest; he will now make some quintessential statements about the Tarot. Recommended reading:  "The Fool's Pilgrimage" by S.A. Hoeller, published by Quest Books.

April 14:  Tarot, the Mysterious Oracle:  Introduction to be followed by sample readings by Dr. Hoeller and Mr. Bryan Campbell.

April 21:  Tarot as Mystical Tool:  Introduction to the Major Arcana.

April 28:  Tarot Divination vs Fortune Telling:  A glimpse into the oracle.

February and March 2023:  The Tale of Gnosis:  Teaching and Myth in the Gnostic Tradition

The great scholar Gilles Quispel stated that "Gnosticism is experience turned into Myth".  The major myths of Gnosis is recounted and interpreted within a contemporary context, while understanding their ancient and timeless origins.  Recommended textbook:  Dr.; Hoeller's book "Gnosticism".

February 3:  In the Beginning:  Where did the Gnostic Cosmo-Conception originate and first express itself?  Was there a primeval Gnosis later to be repressed?

February 10:  Genesis Revisited and Re-Visioned:  How can the Hebrew Genesis myth be seen with Gnostic eyes?

February 17:  The Sophia Myth and its Universal Relevances:  Sophia and her journey in a perennial view.  Authentic and falsified approaches to this myth.

March 3:  Gnosis and 19th to 21st Century Occultism:  Eliphas Levi, H.P. Blavatsky and Neo-Rosicrucianism

March 10:  Manly P. Hall and his Contribution:  A retrospect on the message of the "Sage of Los Feliz" and his enduring legacy.

March 24:  The Neo-Theosophical Matrix:  Annie Besant, C.W. Leadbeater, J. Krishnamurti and others.

March 31:  Ancient & Contemporary Gnosis:  Nag Hammadi, C.G. Jung and Neo-Gnostic Movements of the Twentieth Century and beyond.

January 2023:  The Gnostic Gospels in New Perspective Continues

The discovery of the Nag Hammadi Library brought a new understanding of the Gnostic tradition.  While the entire collection was named "The Gnostic Gospels" by pioneer scholar Elaine Pagels, only four scriptures bear originally the name of "gospel".  Dr. Hoeller shares the essence of these scriptures and evaluate their relevance to this century.

January 6  The Annual Epiphany Celebration.

January 13:  Dr. Hoeller's Annual Tarot Forecast:  The Celtic Cross is used for prognostication for the U.S.A. for the year 2023.  Video available on YouTube.

January 20:  The Gospel of Truth by Valentinus:  This scripture reveals a sublime message of the Gnostic World View. Once owned by C.G. Jung, it is the most poetic and inspiring of the Gnostic Gospels.

January 27:  The Message of all the Gnostic Gospels:  This series on the Gnostic Gospels of the Nag Hammadi Library concludes and will include The Gospel of the Egyptians.

December 2022:  The Gnostic Gospels in New Perspective

December 2:  The Eternal Message of the Gospel According to Thomas:  The most popular of the Gnostic scriptures, the sayings therein contain great disclosures for our turbulent and anxious age.

December 9:  The Sublime Mysteries of the Gospel of Philip:   Gnostic Sacraments culminating in the Redemption and the Bridal Chamber, leading to the ultimate uniting of the opposites in the human being.

November 2022:  Gnostic Thoughts for Late Autumn

Dr. Hoeller elucidates some highlight of the Gnosis appropriate for the late Fall and end of the year season.  November Country can be as informative as October Country.  November is the month of mysterious holidays, such as All Souls Day, All Saints Day and Thanksgiving!

November 4:  Spirit World and concerns for After-Death States:  Understanding the twilight-world fauna of ordinarily invisibly beings.  Which after-death states does the Gnosis recognize: Heaven-Hell; Reincarnation; Transmigration and other planetary locations etc?

November 11:  Glimpses of the Possible Future:  A look into the possible and impossible future: The melting of sense and non-sense!

November 18:  To Give Thanks, When and How:  A teacher quipped:  "Let Gratitude be your Attitude".  A wag responded:  "But let it not become a Platitude!"  Consideration for Gnostic Gratitude and secular ingratitude.

October 2022:  Visionary Reality in October Country

With the arrival of October we are reminded of the great modern writer Ray Bradbury, and his delightful book, "October Country".  While the latter is fiction, there are real opportunities for experiencing visionary reality at this time of the year.  Dr. Hoeller presents several examples of visionary writing as well as psychological works on visionary experience.

October 7:  Dreams and Visions:  The relationship of altered states to each other and to individual insight.  Psychology and Occultism at their visionary meeting point.

October 14:  M.L. von Franz on Spiritual Vision:  A great psychologist evaluates some important mystic visions.  Jung's "star pupil", Marie Louise von Franz explores two visionaries of Switzerland and earlier Europe.

October 21:  Meister Eckhart's View of Visionary Reality:  This lecture will include vignettes of the visionary world from such classics as "Theologia Germanica" and "The Cherubic Wanderer".

October 28:  Hallowe'en, a Festival of Lost Meanings:  Dr. Hoeller's annual discourse and Hallowe'en Party.  Again this year without a performance segment, costumes are most welcome to add to the fun of the season!

September 2022:  Great Mystics and their Heritage

Ever since the ancient mysteries, the work "Mystic" denoted those who by "veiling their face" (mystes) preferred to look inward into the mysteries.  In this series Dr. Hoeller speaks of the life and work of three female and two male mystics, their example and teachings.

September 2:  Hildegard of Bingen, the Prophetess of the Rhine:  An overview of her Twelfth Century mystic life and teachings and an introduction to her spirit.

September 9:  Juliana of Norwich:  A Great British Mystic in the Fifteenth Century known in her day as "Dame Julian, the Seer".

September 16:  Theresa of Avila, the Mother of all Female Mystics:  "La Madre", the reformer of the Carmelite Tradition, inspirer of many other saints.

September 23:  William Law, Master Mystic:  The Great Eighteenth Century Mystic of the Era of the early Enlightenment.

September 30:  Huston Smith as Mystic and Religious Chronicler:  A wise man of the Post Modern Era.

August 2022:  H.P. Blavatsky and her Heritage

As Manly P. Hall wrote, "Take away H.P. Blavatsky and all of the current Esoteric Tradition falls like a house of cards."

August 5:  Who Was H.P. Blavatsky?  The prophetic role and influence of the "Russian Sphinx" who revived the Ancient Esoteric Tradition.

August 12:  Outer and Inner Messages of H.P. Blavatsky:  "The Secret Doctrine" as the outer shell of her message; her "Esoteric Teachings" as the central mystical message.

August 19:  The Heart of her Inner Teachings:  "The Voice of the Silence" and other inner teachings.

August 26:  The Future of Blavatsky's Message:  The Mystical Theosophy of the Future as indicated by "H.P.B."

July 2022:  The Secret Nature and Destiny of America

With the celebration of Independence Day our thoughts justly turn to the inquiry into the Esoteric Origins and Destiny of the U.S.A.  Using sources such as Manly P Hall and H.P. Blavatsky Dr. Hoeller will remind his audience of the mysterious message of the origins and history of our country.

July 8:  Secret Destiny of America:  Revelations from Esoteric sources, including the teachings of Manly P. Hall and the initiatory fraternities of two continents.

July 15:  Hermetic America:  Its conflict with Puritan America.  How may the two philosophies be reconciled?

July 22:  American Optimism and Religious Freedom:   Can the future of the country be redeemed by Esoteric Philosophy?

July 29:  The U.S.A. as a Land of Gnosis Today:  The rebirth of the Gnostic Tradition on American soil in the 20th Century.  Directives for modern Gnostics and Gnostic sympathizers.  (Perhaps you are a Gnostic and don't know it?)

June 2022:  Manly Palmer Hall

An Introductory Overview of his Life and Work
Beginning in April, Dr. Hoeller presented several lectures on the Myth of the Esoteric Tradition.  This subject will now be explored by way of a study of the greatest recent representative of the Great Tradition, Manly P. Hall of Los Angeles.

June 10:  Special Presentation:  Keynote address by Dr. Hoeller and Bishop Steven Marshall on the Gnostic Tradition and its spiritual practice.  For the program of the conference on Saturday, June 11 and Sunday, June 12 refer to separate announcements by flyer and internet.

June 17:  Manly P. Hall; the American Sage of the 20th Century:  Personal and Transcendental glimpses of a Gentle Giant of Esoterica.

June 24:  The Heritage of Manly P. Hall:  The Great Gifts of the Spirit we inherited from this Great Teacher.

May 2022:  The Esoteric Tradition, its Message in Past and Future

This Tradition that survived in semi secrecy for many centuries appeared openly in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.  The nature and lecture role of the Esoteric Tradition will be discussed by Dr. Hoeller throughout the Fridays in May.

May 6:  H.P. Blavatsky, Reviver of the Great Tradition of Esoterica:  On May 8, 1891 Helena Blavatsky died, but left a splendid heritage for the world.  The essence and continuing message of her Esoteric Tradition will be discussed.

May 13:  Annie Besant, the Esoteric Emissary for the Future:  Social reformer, prophet of Indian independence, patroness of the Krotona community in Hollywood and how we may learn from her life and teachings.

May 20:  Rudolf Steiner and his Tradition:  Esoteric Christianity and its nature and impact on future Esotericism.

May 27:  C.G. Jung as Gnostic Adept:  The man in whom Ancient Wisdom and contemporary psychology conjoined.  The Revelations of his Red Book and Black Books.

April 2022:  The Esoteric Myth

The Secret Tradition and its Narrative of Wisdom
After presenting some of the great myths of the culture in February and March, Dr. Hoeller will present the principal narratives of Western Esotericism in context.

April 1:  The Myth of Gnosis:  Originating in remote antiquity, the practice and theory of Gnosis culminates in the Hermetic and Gnostic traditions in the early centuries A.D. The Myth of Sophia, of the Logos, of Mani and of Simon with their meanings.

April 8:  Magic and its Myth of Exalted Consciousness:  From Egyptian and Grecian manifestations to Medieval and Renaissance Ceremonial Magic and its revival in the 19th and 20th centuries.

April 29:  Alchemy, the Great Art of Spiritual Transformation:  From Paracelsus to Jung and beyond, the story of the transformation of Soul.

March 2022:  Three Teachers of Soul Wisdom

The 20th Century brought 3 great scholars of psychologically informed myth and spirituality to our culture, all of whom were inspired by C.G.Jung.  Dr. Hoeller pays them tribute in the wake of his Arthurian lectures in February.

March 4:  Heinrich Zimmer, Herald of Mythic Wisdom:  Teacher of Joseph Campbell, discoverer of psychologically informed mythology, he remains a great model of wisdom.

March 11:  Mircea Eliade, Discoverer of Soul Culture:    Reviver of the wisdom of spirituality from Shamanism to modern religion, the great figure who influenced the best in American education.

March 25:  Karl Kerenyi, discover of the meaning of the Eleusinian Mysteries:  The Hungarian scholar who unveiled the true character of the Greek Mysteries and became Jung’'s principal advisor on the myths of antiquity.

February 2022:  The Mythic Life

Dr. Hoeller further explains his theory of myth enlivening life instead of containing age-old stories of little present relevance.  In addition to further reference to the Arthurian cycle, inspiration is gained from Joseph Campbell's "Myths to Live By" which in addition to his "The Hero with a Thousand Faces", is his most inspired work.

February 4:  SPECIAL PROGRAM:  Dr. Hoeller's Tarot Reading for the U.S.A. for the year 2022.

February 11:  King Arthur and the Round Table:  The archetype of superhuman royalty and its psychological implications.  The spiritual "household" of the Round Table and of its Gnostic meaning.

February 18:  Of Kings and Lions; Owain, the Knight with the Lion:  Spiritual significance of animal symbolism in relation to Gnosis.  Heraldry and sacred animals in myth and psychic reality.  Animals, physical and spectral.

February 25:  Joseph Campbell's explorations of the Vital Link between Humans and their Myths:  Can we live by true myths today?  Can they relieve our contemporary anxieties and disquiet?  Can they extend our psycho-spiritual potential?

January 2022:  The Saga of the Hero

Magic Heroic Themes from the Arthurian Myths
Heroes in Ancient Greece were humans on the path to divinity.  Heroic Gnosis re-appears in the Arthurian myths, whose insights are applicable today.  These talks describe the hero-magician of every age, and are dedicated to Bishop Rosamonde Miller, recently deceased.

January 14:  Merlin the Wizard-Hero and his Message for Today:  How great modern heroes of the spirit modeled themselves on Merlin.

January 21:  Lancelot, Hero of Love and of the Anima:  How love works its magic, even against earthly rules.

January 28:  The Feminine Archetype in the Arthurian Lore:  Feminine heroism and its special magical gifts.

December 2021:  The Modern Esoteric Tradition

Its Sources and Present Influence:
In this world, all things come from somewhere: If anything comes from nowhere, then it is going nowhere also!  The numerous schools and trends of today's Esotericism have their roots in the past, especially in the 20th Century which has been called "Modern".  Dr. Hoeller evaluates this tradition and its influence on the contemporary culture.

December 3:  Annie Besant and Modern Theosophy:  In 2017 Dr. Hoeller presented a memorable program on Annie Besant's 170th birthday.  This time her continuing influence on several continents and her many visits to Krotona of Hollywood in the past will be evaluated.

December 10:  J. Krishnamurti, the Reluctant Messiah:  Once the great hope of Theosophists and their kith and kin, Krishnamurti renounced being "the World Teacher" but became a great teacher all over the World.  Friend to Aldous Huxley, statesmen, thinkers and world-celebrities.

December 17:  Max Heindel, California's Rosicrucian Adept:  Founder of the Rosicrucian Fellowship (Oceanside, Ca.), mentor of young Manly P. Hall, Heindel is the unsung hero of the Western Esoteric Tradition.

November 2021:  The Madonna Mystery

Glimpses of the Madonna Archetype Yesterday and Today:
During the present and past two centuries, the figure of the Virgin Mother has attained new prominence.  November 21, the feast of the presentation of the Virgin is acquiring new importance as the third of her holy days in Eastern and Western Christendom.  Dr. Hoeller elucidates connections between Sophia, the Black Virgin of Europe and the images of the Holy Spirit.

November 5:  Errant Goddess:  Sophia's Return.  Possible re-emergence of the Sophianic Archetype.

November 12:  From Dark Goddess to Black Virgin:  The relation of the Black Virgin of many countries to the Sophianic-messianic archetype.

November 19:  The Meaning of the Black Virgin:  The ubiquitous Black Madonna statues abound in Europe, including Jung's favorite in Einsiedeln, Switzerland.  What is their possible message for today's world?

September and October 2021:  Gnosis in Art and Literature

After having lectured through the end of July and through August about the great Gnostic myths of history, Dr. Hoeller elucidates some latter day literary works in a Gnostic and Jungian perspective.  This series may be seen as an incentive for more reading of books in the midst of a mechanized communication age.  Dr. Hoeller concludes his series in October on the great figures of the end of the 19th and 20th Centuries.

September 3:  Psyche, Fiction and Poetry:  The psycho-spiritual role of Poetry and Literature.  How Gnosis, or Jungian individuation may be advanced by literary means.

September 10:  Theater and Drama:  The presence of the magical imagination in drama.  The continuing role of theater in spiritual transformation.  Can the sacred drama of the ancient mysteries be experienced today?

September 24:  Laurence Durell, Herald of Esoteric Fiction:  Primarily known for his work "The Alexandria Quartet", Durell was a literary messenger of a form of Gnosis.  His books are in need of re-discovery.

October 1:  D.H. Lawrence, Founder of Classic Modern Literature:  The profound philosophical message of this giant.

October 8:  Great Women Writers of the late 20th Century:  Anais Nin, Simone Weil and Marguerite Yourcenar.

July and August 2021:  Gnostic Mythic Reality

Dr. Hoeller presents an account of the Great Myths throughout History that disclose Gnosis.

July 23:  The Hymn of the Pearl:  The Gnostic Monomyth of the soul's journey, (originally contained in The Acts of John).  The most charming account of the Gnostic meaning of life.

July 30:  The Myth of Sophia:  The story of the Gnostic Feminine Wisdom.

August 6:  Parsifal and the Grail Legend:  The greatest tale of the medieval Gnosis.

August 13:  The Green Knight:  The awesome and ambivalent myth of medieval Gnosis; about to be released as a motion picture.

August 20:  The Rosy Cross:  The Gnostic statement of the Reformation Era.

August 27:  The Rebirth of Esotericism in the Modern Era:  Theosophy, New Thought, Modern Ceremonial Magic and the influence of Hindu and Buddhist Gnosis.

August 30:  The Rosy Cross:  The Gnostic statement of the Reformation Era.

June 2021:  The Message of Gnosis

As Revealed by the Gnostic Gospels
Since their publication in the 1970s, the the scriptures discovered at Nag Hammadi in Egypt (collectively often referred to as "the Gnostic Gospels") have aroused much interest.
Four of these scriptures actually bear the name "gospel".  Dr. Hoeller, who devoted much of his life to Gnostic study and practice will present highlights and present-day observations relating to these four Gospels.

June 4:  The Message of "The Gospel According to Thomas":  Deriving contemporary meaning from the Gospel of Thomas.  Could these secret sayings of the founder of the Christian religion revive the vanishing spirituality of our culture?

June 11:  "The Gospel of Truth" and its relevance to C.G. Jung's teachings:  Possibly authored by Valentinus, the greatest of Gnostic teachers, this treatise contains valuable insights into the visionary message of Gnosis with relevance to the anniversary of Jung's death (June 6).

June 18:  Initiation and Individuation in "The Gospel of Philip":  The supreme experience of the Union of the Opposites (Mystery of the Bridal Chamber) and its Alchemical and Jungian relevance.

June 25:  The entry of the Gnostic into the waters of Psyche:  The great spiritual baptismal ritual and its relevance to transformational magic.  Is there a future Gnostic magic being born today, as predicted in Jung's Red Book?

May 2021:  Alchemy, The Art of Human Transformation

In the 20th Century C.G. Jung rediscovered the inner meaning of Alchemy as relating to the individuation process.  The Alchemical Model of human transformation shed light on many issues, physical, psychic and spiritual.  The nature and influence of the Alchemical process and its present-day relevance will be explained by Dr. Hoeller.

May 7:  Alchemy and Jung's Red Book:  Jung's re-discovery of Alchemy and the relevance of this ancient discipline to the human psyche today.

May 14:  Philosopher's Stone and Elixir of Life:  The mystic goals of Alchemical transformation in a Gnostic and Jungian perspective.

May 21:  The Liberation of Sophia through Alchemy:  The mysterious book "Aurora Consergens" and its relevance to the transformation of the Divine Feminine.

May 28:  Alchemy's Relevance to Human Society:  History and the present issues of human society in an Alchemical perspective.

March and April 2021:  Death, Life and Gnosis

In the last two years there has been an abundance of anxiety and fear of death.  Dr. Hoeller returns to Friday evenings with a Gnostic view of these subjects, in their relation to the Gnostic world view, including altered states, visionary states and out-of-body experiences.

March 26:  The Dying Moment and its Transcendental Import:  How Gnosis can remove the "Sting of Death" and the "Victory of the Grave".

April 9:  A New View of Death:  Research into Death in the 20th Century  Harold Bloom, Raymond Moody and other researchers.  Does Death have a Gnostic Meaning?

April 16:  Assisting the Dying:  Rituals and Vision of Death:  How we may assist others and ourselves in facing dying and death.

April 23:  Does Death have Meaning?  Modern and Postmodern meaninglessness creates fear. What may be the "Good death" proclaimed of old?

April 30:  Encounters with Immortality:  An All Soul's Day for all year's use and its Insights.

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2020 Lecture Schedule

January and February 2020:  Jung and a New Age

Dr. Hoeller presents a series of talks extending from January through February, which concerns C.G. Jung's prophetic message about the New Aion, or Age.

January 24:  The Way of What is to Come:  The essential Message of Jung's Prophecy about the New Aion (Age).

January 31:  Glimpses of the New God Image:  Will there be a new God and Religion in the New Aion?  Insights into the spiritual crisis of our time.

February 7:  The Spirit of the Deep and the Divine Child:  Two important Archetypes and their role in Jung's Prophecy.

February 21:  Abraxas and Phanes:  The two polar opposite deities in the Universal Mandala in Jung's "Red Book".

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December 2019:  Spirit Beings in Past and Present

An investigation of the data and theories regarding Angels good and fallen, Archons, Deities, Elementals and Nature Spirits in the Western Tradition.  Dr. Hoeller was acquainted with noted Theosophical seers Geoffrey Hodson and Dora Kunz and will refer to their perceptions, including Kunz' "The Christmas of the Angels", and Hodson's "The Kingdom of the Gods".

December 6:  Ancient Deities as Understood by Esotericists Today:  Prehistoric entities, Egyptian, Greek and Roman deities; Mount Olympus and the Isles of the Blest.  Are the gods and goddesses present today?

December 13:  Spirit Beings from the Middle Ages to Modernity:  Paracelsus, Shakespeare and Renaissance Magic and its relevance today.

December 20:  Elementals, Angels, Elves, Spooks and Occultists:  Comte de Gabalis, Eliphas Levi, H.P. Blavatsky, Golden Dawn and their heirs in seership and insight today.

November 2019:  Insights into the Mystical Kabbalah

A Gnostic Overview of Kabbalistic Wisdom
In October Dr. Hoeller presented a three-part description of the Tarot.  In the present four talks, the essential features of Kabbalistic wisdom will be put forth, further expanding the brief mention made in the October series of lectures.

November 1:  What is Kabbalah?  An in-depth insight into the nature and purpose of Kabbalistic wisdom and its contemporary applicability.

November 8:  Kabbalah and Gnosis:  Since the discovery of the Nag Hammadi Library, classical Gnostic teachings have been clarified.  The relationship of these teachings to Kabbalah will be discussed.

November 15:  Kabbalah explains Evil:  The teaching regarding the Qliphoth, or Shells and their application to our turbulent world today.

November 22:  Isaac Luria, Greatest of Kabbalistic Teachers:  The Holy Lion of God, as he was known, and his profound mystical insights into the world view of the Kabbalah.

October 2019:  Philosophy and Divination of the Tarot

The Tarot has always been a matter of interest in our curriculum.  From time to time we host evenings of Tarot Divination, at times with some explanation.  Kabbalistic insights into Tarot Arcana are also taught.  Dr. Hoeller authored one of the most popular and comprehensive manuals on the Tarot ("The Fool's Pilgrimage", earlier title "The Royal Road") which as been in print since 1975.  In these three talks he will present the quintessence of his insights into the Tarot from several important vantage points.

October 4:  The Cosmic/Occult Structure of the Tarot Deck:  The Minor and Major Arcana as depicting the personal and trans-personal selfhood of humanity.  The hidden forces associated with the Tarot as a Universal Mandala.

October 11:  The Inner meaning of the Tarot Minor Arcana:  The four suits, court cards and numbered cards of the Tarot and their depth-psychological, occult and philosophical meaning.  These are subjects often neglected in esoteric approaches to the subject.

October 18:  The Major Trumps (Arcana) and their Revelatory Power:  Tarot both within and outside of divination.  The importance and foibles of the Kabbalistic attribution to the cards, including a previously secret Gnostic view of the Tree of Life.

October 25:   NO LECTURE:  Annual Hallowe'en Celebration!    A brief lecture on the lost meaning of this holiday, then readings, orations and skits and finally socializing (Annual Hallowe'en Party).

September 2019:  Redeeming Wisdom from the World of Myth

These talks dedicated to the memory of Joseph Campbell
What is a properly functioning mythology and how is it to be apprehended?  Can we derive benefits from myths today?  Can they help relieve the endemic confusion and anguish in the present world of meaningless change and conflict?  In the wake of the directions offered by Joseph Campbell we explore the vital link between our consciousness and the timeless mythic reality.

September 6:  Joseph Campbell, Mythologist and Prophet:  Inspired largely by Jung, Campbell, Eliade and H. Zimmer developed the "new mythology" which is still fully meaningful today.  A tribute to Campbell, our homegrown wise man.

September 13:  The Myth of Reality:  What is to happen spiritually to our culture?  Campbell gave us some directions how to develop the true myth for our age.

September 20:  Myths of War and Peace:  Mythic consciousness in its role of overcoming conflict.  Campbell's endorsement of "Starwars" as pointing to overcoming the conflict of cultures.

September 27:  The Myth of the Demiurge:  Concluding with a timeless keynote of Gnostic wisdom, known to Jung and Campbell, we may see the light at the end of the dark tunnel of earthly existence!

August 2019:  The Heritage of Occult, Esoteric and Magical America

Preserving the Legacy:  A review of non-mainstream spirituality in the U.S.A. over the last two-and-a-half centuries.  Unlike in some past talks, the emphasis here is not historical but concerned with ideals and spiritual practices.  Recent publications, written and/or edited by historian Mitch Horowitz illuminate the topic.  How can the principles of the American Spirit assist us amidst the radical changes and cultural upheavals of the present?

August 2:  From Ancient to Latter Day: America's Mystic Heritage:  Native Shamanism, Spiritualist Neo-Shamanism and the heterodox and magical roots of the U.S.A.

August 9:  American Theosophy:  The late 19th Century worldwide Occult revival, launched by two American citizens, Connecticut Yankee H.S. Olcott and naturalized citizen H.P. Blavatsky.  An evaluation of Modern Theosophy.

August 16:  Positive Thinking, or American Mentalism:  Modern American life reshaped by 19th or 20th Century New Thought philosophy.  Advantages and perils of this trend.

August 23:  Imported Wisdom in America:  From 18th Century Rosicrucianism to Ceremonial Magic revived in the 20th Century and the Gnostic Revival in the 20th Century.

August 30:  The Wise Man of the 20th Century and his revealing of the "Secret Teachings":  An evaluation of the work of Manly P. Hall on the 29th Anniversary of his death.

July 2019:  Four Types of the Feminine Soul

Innumerable people know of C.G. Jung's epochal work "Psychological Types".  Much less fame has come to the brief treatise by his disciple Antonia ("Toni") Wolff, "Structural Forms of the Feminine Psyche" (1951).  Still, this brilliant work is of great importance and has not become obsolete in the so-called "Feminist" era.  Dr. Hoeller will recount Toni Wolff's thesis and evaluate it in philosophical and esoteric terms.

July 5:  Feminine Psyche and its Typology:  Personal and transcendental nature of the implication of Wolff's work.  The four structural forms in outline.  Nature of the "Maternal Feminine".

July 12:  Psychological Types, Masculine and Feminine:  A basic comparison of Jung's and Wolff's typological study.  Glimpses of the "Heteira" type of Wolff's study.

July 19:  Feminine Types and the changing God Image:  Jungian feminine typologies and Wolff's "Amazon" type.

July 26:  The Fourfold Feminine Form and its Development:  Including the mysterious "Medial Woman" type and its role.

June 2019:  The Wisdom of Dreams and Visions

The inner Tradition relies on the visionary and imaginative faculties of the human psyche for its insights.  Similarly the spiritual expansion of the soul (named "Individuation" by C.G. Jung) proceeds by way of extraordinary inner experiences.  The speaker will introduce the audience to the most important non-ordinary reality.

June 7:  Dream and Life; the nature of Visionary Reality and its relation to waking Life:  Dream research from classical antiquity, to Freud and Jung.  How we may recognize the nature of our dreams.

June 14:  Dreams and Individuation:  The movement of the soul toward wholeness and full spiritual maturity was named by Jung "Individuation".  What dreams herald such developments?  Individuation and Gnosis.

June 21:  Alchemical Dreams, the prime Images of Transformation:  This lecture will continue with the theme of inner Transformation voiced by the speaker in the series of talks in May.

June 28:  Dreams as Aids in Self-Understanding:  Ego Images, Complexes and the Shadow in dreams and in Life.  The relationship of Active Imagination (Visionary or Waking Dream).

May 2019:  Jung, Red Book Vision and Alchemy

Interest in the ancient discipline of Alchemy has been revived in the 20th Century by C.G. Jung.  Today many different approaches to Alchemy exist.  The speaker will explore the essential nature of "The Great Art" of Alchemy and its relevance to psycho-spiritual transformation.

May 3:  Basic Principles of Alchemy:  The symbolic components of Alchemy:  Elements, Forces, Stages of Transformation and their meaning in the psycho-spiritual life of human beings.

May 10:  Alchemy in the Light of Jung's Red Book:  The comparatively recent publication of Jung's "Red Book" (Liber Novus) sheds a new light of meaning on Alchemy.

May 17:  How the Two became One:  The Rosarium Philosophorum:  In his misleadingly entitled treatise "The Psychology of the Transference" Jung sketches the pattern of the Alchemy of all relationships and interactions of opposites.

May 24:  The Universal Meaning of Chinese Alchemy:  "The Secret of the Golden Flower":  The revelation of this ancient Chinese Alchemical treatise to Jung and to all of us; past, present and future.

May 31:  The Alchemical Sophia:  Lady Wisdom and her presence in Alchemical Symbolism, especially in "Aurora Consurgens", a treatise of great importance, translated by Marie L. von Franz.

April 2019:  Our Spiritual Environment

These days frequent attention is given to the physical environment of our lives.  It is important to call to mind, however, that we live also in a spiritual environment where occult forces, beings and traditions hold sway.  The Spirit of the United States of America, as well as that of California will be explored in the perspective of esoteric traditions and alternative realities.

April 5:  Occult America:  The U.S.A. was destined not only to serve as a World Power and Industrial Giant, but as the arena of Esoteric Spirituality where the Inner Traditions of several continents come to meet.  This lecture will pay homage to Manly P. Hall's vision of America's Secret Destiny and Mitch Horowitz's research on Occult America and to Esoteric Freemasonry and its role.

April 12:  Mystical, Magical, Occult Los Angeles:  The hidden roots of the singular creativity and spirituality of our city.  From the mountains to the sea with seances, magical circles, Theosophical and Rosicrucian centers and much more.

April 19:  NO LECTURE:  Good Friday Ceremony and Easter Party.  All are welcome.

April 26:  Past, Present and Future of Spiritual Creativity in America:  Are we living in the New Alexandria of the return of Ancient and timeless mysteries?  The occult promise of the future.

March 2019:  The Gnosis of Tolkien

The Visionary Myth of the Century
First published in the U.S.A. in 1965, J.R.R. Tolkien's great trilogy "The Lord of the Rings" with its prologue work "The Hobbit" has been the source of much interest both in its literary and motion picture expressions.  The visionary sources and spiritual relevance of these new myths to our present age will be elucidated by the speaker.

March 1:  J.R.R. Tolkien, the Magical Myth Maker of our Era:  The prophetic message and mission of the author and of his work.

March 8:  The Great Myth of Middle Earth and Its Meaning:  "The Lord of the Rings" and its meaning for our age and beyond.  Is the war against Sauron fought today?

March 22:  The Meaning of Evil in the War for Middle Earth:  The Gnostic and Manichaean vision of Demiurgic Evil and its cosmic reality in all ages.

March 29:  Themes of Gnosis in Tolkien's Myth:  Good and Evil; Spiritual Nostalgia, Heroism, Adeptic Wizardry and everyday Hobbit Wisdom.

February 2019:  In the Aftermath of the "Red Book"; The Gnostic Spirituality of C.G. Jung

The Jungian psychological community is experiencing some discord over the Gnostic light in which C.G. Jung appears in the wake of the publication and the reaction to his Red Book/Liber Novus.  Dr. Hoeller, who played a pioneering role in calling attention to Jung's Gnostic orientation in his book "The Gnostic Jung and the Seven Sermons to the Dead" (1982), will shed light on some of these issues from the position of the Gnostic Tradition..

February 1:  Jung's Entry into the Kingdom of Gnosis:  Beginning at the age of thirty-eight, between 1913 and 1916 Jung undertook a life-altering visionary journey into the depth of Gnostic "knowing".  The influence of this experience on his work will be elucidated.

February 8:  The Sources of Jung's Gnosis:  As in classical times, Jung received direct interior wisdom as well as confirming theory, (theurgia and theoria).  What did these consist of?  Philemon, Elijah, Salome and other revelators.

February 15:  The Crux of Gnosis:  Jung's recognition of the Demiurge in the Seven Sermons to the Dead, as well as the mysticism of the same scripture.

February 22:  Jung and the Myth of Gnosis, Past, Present and Future:  The human psyche as a source of Gnostic Revelation; Gnostic Alchemy both Western and Chinese; the prophecy of the future Gnostic Aion.

January 2019:  A Single Lecture

January 25:  A New Year and a New Aion:  Dr. Hoeller presents a Gnostic view of future trends in the spiritual and historical fate of the world for 2019 and beyond.

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December 2018:  The Gnosis of the Mystics

The tradition of Gnosis continued through many channels.  One of these was through some mystics, nominally attached to mainstream religiosity, but practicing the knowledge of the divine mystery in ways similar to the perennial Gnosis.  In these four talks Dr. Hoeller will elucidate the mysticism of four great mystics of history from a Gnostic point of view, and related to the season of the Mystical Christmas.

December 7:  Angelus Silesius, the Cherubic Wanderer:  One of the most prominent of the "Rhineland Mystics" of the Middle Ages, whose message is of the Eternal Gnosis.

December 14:  Juliana of Norwich:  The seeress of Britain and of all mystics, greatly admired by such contemporary esotericists as Aldous Huxley and Alan Watts.

December 21:  Hildegard of Bingen, "The Sybil of the Rhine":  The earliest representative of the "Rhineland Mystics", her popularity increased greatly in the late 20th Century.

December 28:  John Donne, Mystic Poet:  Championed more recently by T.S. Elliot, this 16th Century mystic combined his visions with poetry, rather like Rumi of Sufi lore.  His mystical poetry is of perennial relevance.

November 2018:  Jung's "Answer to Job"

C.G. Jung's most Gnostic work (besides "Liber Novus") and its prophetic and transforming message.  Dr. S. Shamdasani called "Answer to Job" a "psycho-theological argument".  In 1951 Jung described his book as: "I have landed a great whale:  I mean 'Answer to Job'".  His secretary wrote that typing the manuscript, her protestant pastor ancestors rose in revolt, but Jung reported that his own father's spirit approved!

November 2:  Red Book and Answer to Job:  An evaluation of the nature and message of Jung's two most Gnostic and prophetic treatises.  Is the "New Aeon" of the Holy Spirit approaching as Jung predicted?

November 9:  Job as the example of Gnostic Humanity:  The suffering wise man who can teach God about consciousness.

November 16:  The coming of Sophia:  The God of this world rediscovering his lost Wisdom.  The Sophia of Job and her image in the Red Book.

November 30:  Consciousness as Redemption:  The symbolic figure of Christ in "Answer to Job" as the bringer of Individuation.  Is there a message of hope for the future in "Answer to Job"?

October 2018:  The Laughter of the Gods

Gnostic Reflections on the Value of Humour
The ancient Greeks believed that the gods laughed on Mt. Olympus.  The Gnostic scriptures are the only ones that declared that Jesus laughed.  Non-Gnostic religiosity largely lost touch with the spiritual value of humour.  In our days politics is replacing religion as the energizer of the psyche and it also is becoming ever more grim and hateful.  In these three talks, Dr. Hoeller will expound and demonstrate the spiritual value of humour and "Fun".  Lighten up and be instructed by humour in these lectures!

October 5:  Approaching the Spirit with Humour:  Humour as revelation of the Unconscious.  The Trickster-Fool as archetype.  Humour as a way of experiencing life and its meaning.

October 12:  Humour as Contact with the Archetypes (Gods) of Joy:  Nietzsche on divine humour.  Transformation of the psyche as a funny and joyous experience.  Discovering humour in Religion/Spirituality.

October 19:  Defeating the Grimness and Fanaticism of our Age with Humour:  We live in an age of fanaticism which by definition has no sense of humour.  May we defeat the evils of our age with humour?  Is humour a mighty ingredient of the Alchemy of the psyche?

September 2018:  The Crisis of Our Culture

Its Origins and Solution:  It is increasingly evident that Western Culture has reached a time of crisis in its history.  Gnostics recognize that such difficult times originate in spiritual causes.  If these causes are recognized, the damage they have wrought may be repaired.  Recently a pioneering book by Australian scholar James Boyce ("Born Bad", 2015) has completed the analysis begun by Elaine Pagels ("Adam, Eve and the Serpent" 1988) and shown that the West suffers from a sick theology of "original sin" which current Gnostic insight could successfully undo and deconstruct.  Come and hear the Gnostic view of these important issues.

September 7:  How the West was Lost; How it may be Regained:  A more and more secular culture suffers from religious falsehoods.  What are they like and how may we discard them?

September 14:  A Sense of Sin; Original and other and its Undoing:  Dismantling the foundation of the damage caused by Augustine, Calvin, Knox, Marx and their progeny.

September 21:  The Shadow of Genesis:  Humanity has suffered for two millennia from the "Genesis curse".  Gnostic Gospels have shown us a helpful alternative to Original Sin, the Hex of Sex and other wrong-headed religious indoctrination.

September 28:  America and its New Spirituality:  American Optimism and its hope for the future.  Can the vision of "The Secret Destiny of America" (by Manly P. Hall) be realized in our days?

August 2018:  The Holy Grail

Its Mystery, Legendry, Imaginal Truth and Factual Reality
J.R.R. Tolkien asks, "Do we walk in legends or on the green earth in the daylight?"  Devotees of the Grail have done both for centuries.  At least once every 100 years there occurs an upsurge of interest in the Grail.  From the adventures and fabled Quest of the Middle Ages to contemporary conspiracy theories, the tale of the Grail continues forever.  Recently our good friend, Charles Coulombe published a normative study (A Catholic Quest for the Holy Grail) of the subject, representing the Grail as a most sacred relic.  Come and follow Dr. Hoeller to the Gnosis of the Grail!.

August 3:  Grail and Gnosis:  The essential tale of the Quest and its relation to Gnostic and related esoteric concerns.  How can we find the Grail today?

August 10:  Parsifal, the Archetypal Grail Hero:  The "wise fool" and his story of mystic individuation.  From Eschenbach to Wagner: the symbolic inner journey of every human.

August 17:  Sophia and the Grail:  The eternal Feminine as the companion on the quest.  Grail priestesses and magic women in the Grail Saga.

August 24:  Pop Culture and Grail Quest:  "Holy Blood, Holy Grail", Holy Moly.  How modern wild speculation calls attention to timeless Gnosis.

July 2018:  Divination:  Its Magic and Psychology

Following upon his series of talks on Synchronicity in May, the speaker will discuss and demonstrate the major modality involving this principle, namely the practice of Divination.  Dr. Hoeller wrote the well-known basic book on Tarot, "The Royal Road", in print since 1975 and republished now as "The Fool's Pilgrimage".  In these talks the ambiance of Divination and the nature of several disciplines of Divination will be discussed.

July 6:  The Tarot; the Grand Example of Divination:  Cartomancy (Divination by cards) as a major divinatory art.  Explanation of the Tarot Deck and its philosophy.

July 13:  Tarot and Kabbalah:  Since the 19th Century the combined use of Tarot and Kabbalah has come to enhance the alternative spiritual field.  The emphasis of this talk is to be mainly in the divinatory field.

July 20:  Insights into the I Ching and Taoist Philosophy:  R. Wilhelm and C.G. Jung and their contribution to the understanding of Chinese divination and philosophy.

July 27:  Predicting by the Stars:  The Starry Heavens and their Relevance to our Lives  What is the Starry Wisdom known as Astrology?  The philosophy and psychology underlying the most popular predictive modality.

June 2018:  The Dream, the Vision of the Night

As evident in the experience of Synchronicity (The subject of the talks in May) dreams are the royal highway upon which the interior mystery travels into the daylight world of conscious awareness.  In these talks, the speaker will combine Gnostic insight and depth-psychological theory regarding this most important activity of the human psyche, its utility from self-understanding to archetypal transcendence.

June 1:  Dream Understanding throughout the Ages:  The five varieties of dreams, according to Greek sage Artemidorus, including parapsychological and prophetic dreams.

June 8:  Dreams in Sickness and in Health:  Dreams as diagnostic tool.  Depression, anxiety and physical ailments and their cure indicated in dreams.

June 15:  Selves and Part-Selves in Dreams:  Ego images, complexes, Persona and Alchemy in dream imagery.

June 22:  Archetypes in Dreams:  The foundational imagery of the interior mystery of the soul and their message to our mundane selfhood.

June 29:  Dreams and Transcendence:  How we may consider dream-material as means to overcoming mundane problems and our limitations.

May 2018:  Synchronicity and its Influence on Life

One of the least explored discoveries of C.G. Jung is that of the principle of Synchronicity, the a-causal revelation of meaning in daily life.  The speaker will clarify the nature of Synchronicity and illustrate its workings in several borderline disciplines.

May 4:  Synchronicity, the Revelation of Meaning:  C.G. Jung and his discovery of Synchronicity.  How we may overcome the tyranny of causality.

May 11:  Synchronicity and Divination:  From Astrology to Oneiromancy (interpretation of Dreams) and some other 13 divinatory modalities explained in synchronistic terms.

May 18:  Synchronicity and Alchemy:  The timeless discipline of psychic transformation in its connection with the causeless course of meaning.

May 25:  Chance of Prophecy; Synchronicity and Glimpses into the Future:  Can Synchronicity disclose the future?  Is this the timeless defeat of time?

April 2018:  The Gospels of the Gnosis

The discovery in 1945 of the Nag Hammadi Library brought to the attention of our age a magnificent treasure trove of original scriptures written by the ancient Gnostics.  Although, beginning with Prof. Elaine Pagels, many came to call the entire library "The Gnostic Gospels", only four scriptures in this collection bear the word "gospel" in their title.  Dr. Hoeller will discuss the context and interpret selected passages from these four Gospels with special attention of their relevance to our present era.  A new look at the heart of the Nag Hammadi corpus 41 years after its publication!

April 6:  Secret Sayings of Jesus, the Logos:  A selection from the Sayings in the Gospel of Thomas on such topics as the Human Condition, Conduct, the Redeemer and Self-Knowledge.

April 13:  Transformation and Bride Chamber:  The sacramental mysticism of the Gospel of Philip.  An authentic Gnostic view of the means of Grace.

April 20:  Liberation from Worldly Confinement:  The philosophy of the Gospel of Truth, authored by Valentinus.  C.G. Jung's favorite Gnostic scripture.

April 27:  Ecstatic Experience of the Divine:  The Gospel of the Egyptians and its rapturous experience of the Divine Aeons.  Is such an experience possible for us today?

March 2018:  Spirits!

Only two Fridays this month due to special events.

March 2:  Spirits in This World and That:  What and where are Spirits?  Spirits of the living and of the dead, real and unreal, haunts and spooks, angels and demons.  Are we Spirits ourselves?

March 23:  The Kingdom of Faerie:  Folklore, history and religion regarding Fairies, Elves and Goblins.  Dr. Hoeller and noted researcher R.C. Coulombe will conduct a dialogue.

January & February 2018:  The Soul's Journey in "The Hymn of the Pearl"

Where do we come from?  Why are we here?  What is our ultimate goal and destiny?  Dr. Hoeller will reply to these question from the vantage point of a Gnostic, using the famous and well-beloved text "The Hymn of the Pearl" as a guideline.  This series will be different from earlier treatments of the hymn by the speaker and will emphasize the contemporary relevance of its message.

January 12:  The Annual Tarot Forecast for the U.S.A.

January 26:  The Gnostic Mythic Pattern of the Journey of the Soul:  The origins of Gnostic mythic narrative in mystical experience.  Overview of the story and of its application to our lives.  Introducing the St. Thomas tradition, as expressed in the "Acts of Thomas" and "The Gospel of Thomas".

February 2:  Origins of the Human Soul and the Quest for the Pearl of Gnosis:  Departure of the Soul from its origins and the purpose of incarnation.

February 9:  The Entry of the Soul into Manifest Existence:  The Search for the Gnostic Pearl of Great Price and the danger of losing one's purpose due to unconsciousness.

February 16:  Awakening from Unconsciousness and the Message to us from on High:  How to find the awakening impulse and to engage in the search for ultimate meaning.

February 23:  Awakening from the Sleep of the World and Obtaining the Price of Gnosis:  How to find supernal consciousness and re-enter the heaven world of true transcendence.

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December 2017:  The Mystery of Animal and Human

Throughout all of history, animal and human are connected.  Joseph Campbell's last major work concerned this topic and was entitled "The Way of the Animal Powers", and we might say that Santa Claus still travels with his reindeer.  In these talks Dr. Hoeller will explore the mystery of the human and animal in Gnostic-Magical terms.

December 1:  Archetypal Symbolism of Animal and Human:  Joseph Campbell's insights.  Are we humans both Gods and Animals?  What is the Gnostic connection between human and animal powers?

December 8:  Magic and the Animal Powers:  The oldest piece of cave-art shows a pre-historic priest with antlers on his head.  Have we inherited magical powers pertaining to animals?  What is an "Animal Spirit" and a wiccan "Familiar"?

December 15:  Archetypal Symbolism of Wolves and Humans:  In mythic history wolves and humans are closely related.  Rome was founded by brothers raised by a she-wolf.  In Europe Werewolves are of great renown, as is the Coyote-god of the plains natives of America.

December 29:  The Wisdom of the Serpent about Nature, Sex and Spirit:  The so-called Serpent venerating Gnostics (Naasenes, or Ophites described by Hippolytus) left a famous scripture, revealed perhaps by the Divine Serpent.  C.G. Jung and Marie Louise von Franz consider this scripture of great value.

November 2017:  Meaning and Mystery of the Holy Grail

From the Middle Ages to the present, the Grail Legend represents a recurring theme in history:  Troubadours and poets, like Lord Tennyson and composers like Wagner were calling attention to this mystery.  In more recent times the controversial "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" and its literary progeny have continued to create interest.

November 3:  The Grail, and Enduring Mystery:  The journey of the Grail Legend throughout history; possible reasons for the persistence of the legend.  A critical evaluation of the disclosures of "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" and of their effects.

November 10:  In the absense of Dr. Hoeller:  guest presenter Bryan Campbell:  "The Basics of Astrology": An aid to gnosis vs fortune telling.

November 17:  Parzival and the Holy Grail:  The grandest of all the Grail legends, the story of Perzival (Parsifal, Perce-val, Percival) and its spiritual and individuational interpretations.

November 24:  (Day after Thanksgiving)  The Grail and Gnosis:  Gnostic spiritual development and its symbolism implicit in the symbolism of the Grail legend.  What is the future of the Grail saga?

October 2017:  Faust and Goethe, Archetypes of Mystical Drama

Little known in America, but immensely influential in Germanic countries, the drama "Faust" (and the opera by Gounot, based on it), is an esoteric mystery play of timeless relevance.  Dr. Hoeller will introduce us to this occult drama based on the medieval Magus, Faust, whose figure is possibly the first Gnostic, Simon Magus.

October 6:  Goethe, Occult Prophet of the 18th Century (1749-1832):  The "Prince of Poets and Poet of Princes", as philosopher, alchemist and Gnostic.  His Masonic, Rosicrucian and Alchemical spirit and its message.

October 13:  The Archetypal Story of Dr. Faustus by Goethe:  The first and second part of Faust in a Gnostic exposition.  Poetry and the mystical conjoined in this eternal tale.

October 20:  The Feminine Archetypal Figures in Goethe's Faust:  C.G. Jung discovered a four-fold development of Feminine Archetypes in Faust which have a significant applicability to contemporary culture.

September 2017:  Paracelsus, Alchemy and Healing

The alchemical physician and magician of the 16th Century; a true Renaissance man and universal genius.  Known as "the Swiss Hermes" in his time, he was revered by C.G. Jung, who considered the Paracelsian philosophy as being applicable to our age.

September 1:  Paracelsus, the Occult Physician and his Teachings:  The occult philosophy of Paracelsus and its medical implications.

September 8:  The Five Causes of Disease and their Alchemical Treatment:  Paracelsus and his philosophy of multiple causation as early psychology.

September 15:  Magnetic Healing and Altered States:  The odyssey of magnetic philosophy from Paracelsus to Mesmer and to Freud and Jung and its relationship to the psychedelic revolution.

September 22:  The Future and Meaning of Human Health and Disease:  Miracles and psychology of various kinds; the unconscious and conscious and their relationship to the spirit.

September 29:  Paracelsus and Alchemy Today:  Transformation in the New Aeon.

August 2017:  The Western Esoteric Tradition

Its Leaders, Teachings and Tradition since the 19th Century
The recent talks of Dr. Hoeller touching on the Golden Dawn have brought much interest and requests for further information.  In these talks a comprehensive presentation of the subject will be given, including about some more recent leaders and teachers, who were personally known to the speaker.

August 4:  The Rebirth of Western Esotericism:  Founding, and some early leaders of the Golden Dawn.  H.P. Blavatsky, as Grandmother of the 19th Century Occult movement.  The nature of the esoteric teachings which were reborn.

August 11:  Tarot, Magical Fiction and Neo-Theosophical Lore:  The outstanding figures of A.E. Waite, Paul Foster Case and Dion Fortune and their significant heritage.

August 18:  Magic, Psychology and All That:  E. Aleister Crowley, Israel Regardie and their associates and contribution.  Where is their transmission headed?

August 25:  Manly P. Hall; the Occult Plato from California:  In commemoration of the 27th anniversary of his death (August 29, 1990) a tribute to our local wise man and apostle of Western Esoteric Spirituality.  (Look for special flyer.)

July 2017:  Myths of Love and Life

The recent publication of J.R.R. Tolkien's great mythic love story "Beren and Luthien" once again brings to the fore the enlightening role of myth.  In this series, Dr. Hoeller will recount and interpret two great love myths and two myths dealing with meaning to be discovered in a largely meaningless cosmos.

July 7:  Tristan and Isolde:  The greatest love myth of the Middle Ages, as understood in the light of Gnosis.

July 14:  Tolkien's Great Love Myth "Beren and Luthien":  The love of a mortal human and an angelic Elf and its archetypal meaning.

July 21:  Shedding the Cosmic Burden:  The tale of Abu Kassem's slippers.  A Middle Eastern myth of Sufi provenance as re-told by the great mythologist Heinrich Zimmer.

July 28:  The Myth of the Demiurge:  The ancient Gnostic image of an intermediate cosmic ruler as applied by C.G. Jung in his "Red Book" and in "Answer to Job".

June 2017:  The Return of the Magi

A review of the Magical-Initiatic Tradition as revived throughout the last 150 years, and as it descends from ancient sources.

June 2:  The Origins and Nature of Magic:  The message of the theurgic traditions of Antiquity.  Simon Magus, the first Gnostic; Hermetic, Neo-Platonic and Gnostic expansion of Consciousness.

June 9:  The Magical Message of the Renaissance:  Rebirth of Classical Spirituality.  Giordano Bruno and the rebirth of Hermeticism.  What has the Renaissance Spirit to say to us today?

June 16:  Magicians and Mystics of France of the late 19th Century:  Eliphas Levi, Papus, Master Philippe and their contemporary relevance.

June 23:  Freemasonry; Its Timeless Role and Message:  A tribute on the eve of the 300th birthday of Masonry (the formation of the first Masonic Grand Lodge in England).

June 30:  The Magic and Mystery of the Golden Dawn:  W.B. Yeats, A.E. Waite, Dion Fortune, the Master Therion; Magic and Creativity.

May 2017:  The Change of the Age

The Years Ahead; Insights for Turbulent Times:
Since the 19th and 20th centuries prophetic teachers have predicted the cosmic change from the Aion (Age) of Pisces to the one called Aquarius.  Are the turbulent trends and conflicts in the world signalizing the change of the Age and how may we co-operate with the benign developments of the change, while evading the malign aspects?

May 5:  What Went Wrong (With the Piscean Age)?  What was the substance of the corruption that gave wrong influences to the early Piscean Age?  How we may avoid such calamities in the future!

May 12:  A New God; A New Consciousness:  The coming New God Image as predicted by C.G. Jung (in the "Red Book") as well as by others.  Dispelling the shadow of Genesis; the replacement of sin and guilt by Gnosis.

May 19:  Individual Soul against Mass Mind:  The need for spiritual individualism to replace various forms of collectivism.  Restoring the sovereignty of the individual will.

May 26:  Restoring Individual Gnosis in America:  Is the U.S.A. uniquely suited to "give birth to the old in a new way" as Jung phrased it?  How to exorcise the twin evils of Puritanism and Marxism in our country.

April 2017:  The Magic of Seership

In this short series Dr. Hoeller will introduce the subject of clairvoyant perception and demonstrate some of the products of seership with the fine paintings from Geoffrey Hodson's book "The Kingdom of the Gods", upon which the stained glass windows of Besant Lodge are based.  These visionary pictures will be projected on screen during the last two programs.

April 7:  Merlin, the Archetype of the Mage and Seer:  An Introduction to the subject of Magical Seership, using the figure of Merlin as an example, also an account of Geoffrey Hodson, the modern Theosophical seer, who lectured several times at Besant Lodge.

April 21:  The Angelic Visions of Geoffrey Hodson:  Geoffrey Hodson, Theosophical Clairvoyant from New Zealand, and some of his visions of Angels and spirits.  (The latter incorporated into our stained glass windows, and many more projected on the screen.

April 28:  Kabbalah and the Seership of Geoffrey Hodson:  More projected images of Hodson's visions with an account of his teachings.

March 2017:  Myths to Live By

Great stories of perennial relevance that highlight the psycho-spiritual development and Gnosis of the individual.  Dr. Hoeller will review and interpret four stories from the Arthurian cycle of medieval myths in the light of their meaning in our lives.  The approach to the myths will be in the light of Joseph Campbell, Karl Kerényi, Heinrich Zimmer and C.G. Jung.

March 3:  Arthur, the Once and Future King:  The archetype of the Royal Self in the soul-drama of humanity.  The inner meaning of the heroic myth of Arthur.

March 10:  Lancelot and the Initiation of Romance:  Spirituality and the power of love.  The Fall of Camelot and the expected Return of the King.

March 24:  Owain, the Knight with the Lion:  Spiritual Knighthood and the instinctual nature.  Our relationship to the Lion Within.

March 31:  Sir Gawain and the Green Knight:  Confrontation with the mystery of Death and the terror of Nature.

February 2017:  Kazantzakis:  A Modern Gnostic Ascent to the Fullness

A quintessential Journey with a Great Poet to the Divine:  Nikos Kazantzakis, author of Zorba the Greek, The Last Temptation of Christ, Report to Greco, The Odyssey:  A Modern Sequel was the greatest poet of Greece in the last several centuries.  In these talks, Dr. Hoeller will review his path of the Divine as described in his sublimely beautiful poetic treatise "The Saviours of God".

February 3:  Preparing for the Ascent:  The three Gnostic duties which prepare one for the journey of Ascent.

February 10:  The Ascent from Ego to Cosmos:  The Four Steps from personal Self to the limits of earthly existence.

February 17:  The Vision of Transcendence:  The poetic ecstasy of the closeness of the Divine.

February 24:  From Relationship with God, Humanity and Nature to Silence:  This concluding chapter contains the author's nine-fold Gnostic Credo based on the ascent to the Fullness.

January 2017 Programs

Friday, January 13:  The Annual Tarot Forecast for the U.S.A.

Friday, January 27:  A Gnostic New Year and New Aion:  Dr. Hoeller looks into the spiritual future of the world, outlining the trends foreseen by the Esoteric Tradition in the light of several prophetic approaches.

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December 2016:  Glimpses of the Future; What may we expect of the Upcoming Years and Age?

In this short series of talks, Dr. Hoeller will outline the trends foreseen by the Esoteric Tradition in the light of several prophetic approaches.  This information may serve as a preparation for the annual Tarot reading early in January 2017.

December 2:  Gnosis in the Future:  How timeless Gnosis may help us against secular anxiety and vain turbulence in the future.

December 9:  The Future, will it be Good or Evil?  Insights of the Inner Wisdom Tradition, about how to meet triumph and adversity (and all in-between) in the coming period.

December 16:  Is the New Aeon Approaching?  Foretold by great esotericist from Blavatsky to C.G. Jung, the New Aeon with its New God Image and renewed Gnosis draws nigh and requires our attention.

November 2016:  Alchemy, the Art of Transformation

Stimulated by the current splendid exhibit, "The Art of Alchemy" at the Getty Museum, Dr. Hoeller presents a concise series of talks on Alchemy, in its relationship to Gnosis and C.G. Jung.

November 4:  The Rediscovery of Alchemy:  The nature of the Alchemical Opus, in the light of contemporary insights, including Jung's Red Book. Alchemy, the Yoga of the Gnostics.

November 11:  Psychology and Alchemy:  C.G. Jung's main interpretation of Western and Eastern Alchemy.  Alchemy as the paradigm of cosmic and individual transformation.

November 18:  The Liberation of Sophia from Earthly Captivity:  An essential account of the Aurora Consurgens, and Alchemical-Gnostic treatise, attributed to S. Thomas Aquinas.

October 2016:  Magical and Mystical October Country

In recognition of Hallowe'en and the mysterious and intriguing season that began with the Autumnal Equinox, we present three programs pertaining to these subjects and served to prepare us for Autumn's mysterious revel, held by us on the final Friday of the month of October..

October 7:  Hallowe'en and the Archaic Spirituality of Old:  Conclusions drawn from Alvin Boyd Kuhn's splendid treatise on Hallowe'en; the; the Cosmic Religion of Celtic Time (the Myth of the Eternal Return).  What is the relation of ancient Paganism to the Gnosis?

October 14:  The Magic and Mystery of the Western Tradition:  A tribute on the approaching 100th Anniversary of his death to Papus, (Dr. Gerard Encouse) and the magical and mystical revival, begun in the 19th Century.  The Romance of the French Esoteric Tradition, then and now.

October 21:  Wicca and Ceremonial Magic in Our Day:  Dr. Hoeller will share his early contacts with the wiccan revival and he will dialogue with ms. Sandra Wells about her experiences with Wicca and magic in recent times.

September 2016:  Sophia, the Feminine Divine

A comprehensive treatment of the various accounts of the Divine Sophia, her origins, tradition and aspects, based on Gnostic scriptures and insightful experiences of seers and wise men throughout history.  These lectures will prove that Sophia is neither a Pagan goddess, nor a product of fancy, but a perennial Archetype and person.

September 2:  The Origins of the Sophia Tradition:  The Hebrew Trinity as experienced in The Great Angel by Barker; her suppression and re-appearance in the Old Testament Wisdom Books, including Kabbalistic insights.

September 9:  The Reappearance of Sophia in Pistis Sophia:  The Book Pistis Sophia, told possibly by Valentinus.  The greatest drama of the Spiritual Feminine in all of history.

September 16:  The Feminine Myth of Gnosis:  The perennial reality of the Divine Sophia,in the ongoing Esoteric Tradition.  Sophia's unique character as distinguished from the Madonna or Pagan goddesses.

September 23:  Sophia and her Enemy, the Demiurge:  Our Lady of Wisdom, as the conqueror of Evil and oppression.

September 30:  Modern Apostles of Sophia:  The Russian Sophiologists:  Vladimir Solovyev and his school, Carl Jung's intimations of Sophia in his Red Book, and Answer to Job.  The future role of the Sophia Tradition in the culture.

August 2016:  Seers, Angels and Spirits

Dr. Hoeller draws upon his experiences with persons of clairvoyant powers, who perceived the angelic beings and their kith and kin.  In amplification of such accounts he deals with Angel Magic as well as the advantages and hazards of dealing with beings of the inner worlds.

August 5:  People who Saw the "Invisible":  The speaker recounts his experiences with clairvoyants of the past, mostly of the Theosophical Society, who spoke at Besant Lodge.  Dora van Gelder Kunz, Geoffrey Hodson (whose visions of Angels are depicted on our stained glass windows), Marie Hotchener and others.

August 12:  Angels and Magic:  An introduction to Angel-Magic.  Ancient Gods and Goddesses turning into Angels.  Do we have an Angel with us or within us?

August 19:  Angels; Holy and Unholy Are all Angels good?  How we may distinguish between entities of light and darkness?  The need for, and nature of such discernment.

August 26:  A Time for Magic and Magicians:  C.G. Jung predicted in the "Red Book" that after the "Time for War", the "Time for Magic" would come.  How may we prepare ourselves for this?  How my past experiences instruct us?

July 2016:  Esoteric America and its Message

Dr. Hoeller expands on certain themes of his last lecture of June on Enlightenment era Hermeticism and show its accomplishments in the U.S.A.

July 1:  America's Secret Destiny:  The Esoteric Spirit of The United States, presented in the light of the insights of Manly P. Hall.

July 8:  Albert Pike and America's Heritage of Freemasonry:  Can the Masonic Spirit redeem today's United States?

July 22:  C.G. Jung on America:  On his various visits to the U.S., the late Dr. Jung made insightful pronouncements about the national psyche of the U.S.A. and its future.  We shall look at these.

July 29:  Joseph Campbell; American Apostle of Myth:  The greatest figure of the "New View of Mythology" and his contribution to the Myth of America.

June 2016:  The Great Tradition of Liberating Gnosis

Dr. Hoeller reviews the essential features and message of the tradition of Alternative Spirituality of the West, which is experiencing a rebirth in the dawning new Aion, predicted in Jung's "Red Book" and other sources.  This is not a recounting of history, but an entry into ideas and mysteries.

June 3:  Sources of the Great Tradition:  Hermes Trismegistus and his successors and relatives:  Simon Magus, Valentinus, Proclus, Iamblichus.  The birth of Magic, Alchemy and Ecstatic Gnosis.

June 10:  The Great Tradition Continues:  Kabbalah and The Great Angel; The Mysterious Tarot; The Martyred Cathars; the Rhineland Mystics; Giordano Bruno; Jacob Boehme.

June 17:  The Great Tradition in the Era of the Enlightenment:  The Rosy Cross; the Hiramic Mystery of Freemasonry, the Initiatic Glory of Martinism; the esoteric foundations of the United States.

June 24:  The Great Tradition Revives:  Blavatsky, the Russian Sphinx; the Magicians of the Golden Dawn; the minor Theosophers of the 20th Century; C.G. Jung and the Gnostic Revival.  Is the "New Age "Old Hat"?

May 2016:  The New Spirituality

The often predicted New Aion (Age) is the herald of a New-Spirituality.  From Blavatsky to Jung and his Red Book, we find pronouncements about the New Religion and its New God Image.  Secular Atheism and the existing religions are all failing humanity at this time.  This failure points to a remedy:  A World-View with ancient roots and new countenance.

May 6:  From Shaman to Prophet:  Spirituality originates in non-ordinary experience.  The recovery of experiential religion, as a necessity for the liberation of human consciousness.

May 12:  Special Thursday Program:  Scott Smith on his book "God Reconsidered:  Searching for Truth in the Battle between Atheism and Religion".  Scott speaks about the strength of the philosophical arguments for Christian Gnosticism and answers questions.  Free MP3 Audio.

May 13:  The Failure of Monotheism:  Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam have failed to redeem humanity, because they could not answer some of the most urgent questions of life.  Indications of answers are present in an ancient Gnosis.

May 20:  The Inadequacy of Hinduism and Buddhism:  The Polytheistic and Non-Theistic failure of faith.  Indications for the remedy for these problems.

May 27:  Rebirth of the Path of Inspired Insight:  C.G. Jung advised us to "give birth to the Old in a New Way".  This "old" is the Gnosis as expressed today, which contains the meaning untouched by the present religions.

March and April 2016:  How to Understand Human Character

In this series of talks, Dr. Hoeller will review the numerous ways of classifying human character and indicate ways of utilizing them.  All the presentations will be with a view to transcendence and the mystic vision of Gnosis.

March 4:  What are Human Character Types?  Answers given by ancient Gnostics; Reflection on the issues of Types.

March 11:  Early Psychological Types:  Poetry and Types; Schiller; Nietzsche; Origin of Types in the Red Book.

April 1:  Jung's Typology, Pt. I:  Introverted and Extraverted, Thinking and Feeling Types.  Alchemy and Human Character.

April 8:  Jung's Typology, Pt. II:  Sensate and Intuitive Types.  Thoughts on the Transcendent Function.

April 15:  The Feminine Types:  The Four Structural Forms of the Feminine Soul by Toni Wolff.

April 22:  The Seven Rays:  The major Occult Typology, first revealed by Ernest Wood, elaborated by A. Bailey.

April 29:  How to Understand Human Character?  Human relations as grounded in Gnostic Mystical Vision.

January and February 2016:  Dreams and Visions

Exploring the Active Imagination by Various Means:
In these discussions, the speaker will explore the nature and uses of such modalities of altered consciousness as found throughout history in spontaneous and induced forms of what is now often called "Active Imagination".

January 22:  Annual Tarot Prognostication for the U.S.A. for the year 2016.

January 29:  The Magic of Active Imagination:  Using the word in a general sense, we will examine the nature and importance of visionary reality and its access by altered consciousness.

February 5:  The Dream, the Vision of the Night:  An overview of the field of dreams, including the various types of dreams as classified by the Greek sage, Artemidorus.

February 12:  Dreams and Soul-Transformation:  Archetypal images, Transcendence and Individuation in Dreams.

February 19:  Visionary Literature and its Meaning:  Examples of Visionary writing from the ancient Gnostics to Blavatsky, Tolkien, Jung and Philip K. Dick and its meaning to us.

February 26:  The Visionary World of the Psychedelic Age:  Have the discoveries of Albert Hofmann and his fellows opened up a new, valid way of Visionary experience?

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November and December 2015:  Synchronicity and Divination

While all peoples and cultures used oracles, the Gnostic approaches them as aids to insight to transcendence.  In the 20th Century C.G. Jung indicated an oracular principle of depth psychological character and named it Synchronicity.  With this series the speaker will draw on the material in his classic book "The Fool's Pilgrimage" and prepare us for the annual Tarot Forecast in January.

November 6:  C.G. Jung and Synchronicity:  The discovery, theory and application of the mysterious Synchronicity principle as expounded by Jung. (Available free online - click to listen or download.)

November 13:  Synchronicity, Parapsychology and Divination:  May we derive meaning for our lives from occult and magical phenomena, as well as from the mantic (predictive) arts?

November 20:  From the Occult to Mystery and Gnosis:  The revelation of meaning by way of our deepening of inner perception.

December 4:  The I Ching; Oracle of the East:  The philosophy and mystical content of the oracle brought to our culture by Richard Wilhelm and C.G. Jung.

December 11:  Astrology: The Starry Wisdom as an Aid to Gnosis  How Gnostic insight may convey the glory of the heavenly symbols.

December 18:  Tarot; the Royal Road of Divination:  The historical oracle of the West, as a guide and Gnostic helper.

October 2015:  The Gnostic Journey of the Soul

The Universal Process of the Soul based on "The Hymn of the Pearl" The historic alternative scripture, The Acts of Thomas, contains this hymn of which the scholar Hans Jonas wrote:  "Perhaps nowhere else is the basic gnostic experience expressed in terms more moving and more simple 'In our days when so many are journeying and migrating, we ought to contemplate this archetypal tale that is both timeless and timely!'"

October 2:  Origin of the Soul and the Quest for the Pearl:  Our mystical origins and the mission upon which we came to earth.

October 9:  Descent of the Soul and Perils of the Quest for the Pearl:  How Consciousness is captured and may be freed.

October 16:  Awakening in an Alien Reality and receiving the Treasure:  Receiving the Wake-Up Call from Above and obeying its voice.

October 23:  Return bearing the Treasure to the Homeland:  Progress to and within the Spiritual Kingdom.

September 2015:  America's Inner Wisdom

In these talks Dr. Hoeller will follow through on some of his talks in July on the Esoteric Tradition in the U.S.A.  H.P. Blavatsky wrote:  "The Universe is governed from within outwards".  The universe of the human is similarly governed by consciousness.  What kind of consciousness inspired esoteric spirituality in our country?  Discover this and related inner mysteries with our speaker and his talks!

September 11:  Altered Consciousness in America:  Journeying to the "Inner Frontier". Mesmeric and Shamanic foundations of our visionary reality.  Visionary foundations of the American Republic.

September 18:  Movements of Alternative Spirituality in America:  From Shakers and Mormons to Theosophy, heterodox mysticism and its American origins.

September 25:  From New Age to New Aeon:  The Esoteric Future.  Is the "New Age" of the 20th Century "old hat"?  Gnostic Renaissance and the Aeon of Aquarius.

August 2015:  The Mysteries Revisited

Dr. Hoeller takes a new look at the Ancient Mysteries (at times called "Mystery Schools") in terms of their relevance to contemporary spirituality and the future in the New Aeon.  The mystic psychology of the myths and practices of the Mysteries of the ancient world as the foundations of the Esoteric Tradition.

August 7:  The Mysteries;  Their Nature and Function:  An overall evaluation of the mystery tradition in ancient times, throughout history and in contemporary times.

August 14:  Eleusis; the Mystery of Soul Transformation:  The best known of the Mysteries, including the contemporary discoveries of what became known as The Secret of Eleusis.

August 21:  Orphic, Dionysian and Isiac Mysteries:  The major mystery systems of the Mediterranean spiritual matrix and their applicable features today.

August 28:  Mithra, and his Mystic Heritage:  The mystery-religion of the late Roman Empire and its great influence on Christianity, Freemasonry and Chivalry.

SUNDAY, August 30th at 6PM:  A Special Event:  Commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the passing of Manly P. Hall, author, mystic teacher and esoteric scholar:  Dr. Stephan Hoeller presented an evening of reminiscences of the founder of the Philosophical Research Society.

July 2015:  The Esoteric Tradition in the West

Past, Present and Future of the Inner Tradition in the United States and its West Coast.

July 10:  Mystical, Magical, Occult California:  Have you wondered about the secret side of West Coast Culture, including of the Motion Picture Industry? Here are the answers.

July 17:  The Spirit of Freemasonry in America:  Founding Fathers, Albert Pike, Wise Men of the U.S.A. and their heritage.

July 24:  Rev. John Goelz:  The Kabbalistic Magical Tradition in the West:   Our Tuesday evening class leader substituting for Dr. Hoeller.

July 31:  New Thought, "Metaphysics", Positive Thinking in the U.S.A.:  The roots and flower of the Neo Hermetic Enlightenment.

May and June 2015:  The Gnostic Gospels

Revisited thirty eight years after their publication:  In 1977 the English translation of the Nag Hammadi Library was published, to be followed one year later by the best selling book "The Gnostic Gospels", by Elaine Pagels.  The effect of these works on the culture has been remarkable.  In these lectures Dr. Hoeller will summarize and evaluate the message of the scriptures of Nag Hammadi called "Gospels".

May 1:  The Gospel of Thomas, part I:  Explaining the first part of the Gospel of Thomas and its sayings.

May 8:  The Gospel of Thomas, part II:  The crucial and revelatory sayings in the second half of the Gospel, including about Mary Magdalen.

May 15:  The Gospel of Philip:  The principal source of the Mystery of the Bridal Chamber and other redemptive sacraments.

May 22:  The Gospel of Truth:  Mystical insights into the Gnostic World View; dissolving the illusory perception of life.

May 29:  The Gospel of the Egyptians and other highlights of Nag Hammadi :  Singular insights and visionary disclosures regarding creation, moral maxims and initiations in the Nag Hammadi Library.

June 5:  The Secret Book of John:  Also known as the Apocryphon of John, this scripture is the most complete depiction of the Gnostic cosmology and World View available.  If you always wanted to know what the Gnostic Tradition is all about, this is your lecture to attend.

June 12:  The Exegesis of the Soul:  The Gnostic narrative about the nature and journey of the human soul.  This history of the psyche is essential for Gnostic self-knowledge.

March and April 2015:  The Images of Jung's Red Book

Some time ago Dr. Hoeller presented explanations of the artwork executed by C.G. Jung in his Red Book (Liber Novus).  By popular demand he presents an expanded version of these commentaries, again with projection of the Red Book images.  We need to affirm that this presentation was an educational program for the benefit of our members and their friends and not a commercial venture.

March 6:  Images of the Red Book, Part One:  Images from "Liber Primus" (Book One) and general introduction to the study of Jung's artwork.

March 27:  Images of the Red Book, Part Two:  Mandalas and other images from the latter part of Book One and some of Book Two.

April 10:  Images of the Red Book, Part Three:  Further Images from Book Two.

April 17:  Images of the Red Book, Part Four:  Book Two:  Mandalas and Symbols.

April 24:  Images of the Red Book, Part Five:  "Scrutinies" (Book Three) and advice for the personal use of these images.

February 2015:  Pistis Sophia; Faithful Sophia

In recent years the name of Sophia is increasingly mentioned as a generic name for the Divine Feminine.  In reality Sophia is a specifically Gnostic figure whose universal story is told by the resurrected Jesus in the scripture Pistis Sophia (Askew Codex) discovered in the 19th Century and expertly translated by G.R.S. Mead.   Dr. Hoeller will use original quotations and his commentaries regarding this most important story of Sophia (Divine Wisdom).

February 6:  Sophia leaves Heaven (the Fullness):  The Gnostic Jesus tells of her original condition, her descent.  The Ten Calls to the Light, (uttered by Sophia) and their implications.

February 13:  The Last Calls of Sophia and her Struggle with the Demiurge:  Her rise on high and the power of the Darkness below.

February 20:  Sophia; her Angelic Helpers and her Alchemy:  Redemption and Alchemical transformation in the Sophia narrative.

February 27:  The Gnostic Conclusions to be drawn from Sophia's Story:  Mary Magdalene questions Jesus about how to rescue Souls.  Chaos and other enemies of the Gnosis.

January 2015:  Tolkien and the Great 20th Century Myth

The Gnosis of "The Lord of the Rings" and its author.

January 23:  J.R.R. Tolkien, the preeminent Mythmaker of the 20th and 21st Centuries:  Where did he receive his inspiration?  Was he a visionary as well as a literary giant?

January 30:  Tolkien's Myth; Archetypes and Gnosis in Tolkien's work:  (These two lectures are made timely in view of the film Hobbit III.)

 

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December 2014:  The Latest Furor About Mary Magdalene

A recently published and highly controversial book, "The Lost Gospel", claims to be the coded message in an ancient Syriac expansion on the Genesis account of the marriage of Joseph and Aseneth.

December 5:  "The Lost Gospel"; New Information or Fraud?  Is the Magdalen a "co-Messiah", a sexpot or (and) the mother of two sons by Jesus?  What is the nature of the text underlying these assertions?

December 12:  Earlier Magdalenic Hysterias:  The Da Vinci Code; The Jesus' Wife; An Apocryphal Cathar Fragment; Holy Blood-Holy Grail; Holy Moley!  Is the Deific Feminine stirring?

December 19:  The Gnostic Mary Magdalene:  Sources, such as Pistis Sophia, the Gospel of Philip and the Gospel of Mary.  Will the real Mary Magdalene stand up amidst the literary chaos?  Is the deific feminine involved in all this?

November 2014:  Heroes and their Journeys

The events in the world and in the culture indicate the need for the cultivation of the hero archetype both individually and collectively. In ancient Greece the "Hero" was the first step on the path of joining the gods (Apotheosis).  In these three lectures we will explore three archetypal heroes from the Arthurian cycle in terms of their message for our lives and society.  Dr. Hoeller has lectures about these figures in the past, but plans to use a new and different emphasis here.

November 7:  King Arthur; the Royal Self:  The "Once and Future King":  Is he within us or in the outer world?  The psychology and mysticism of the image of the hero-monarch in a Gnostic perspective.

November 14:  Sir Gawain and the Green Knight:  This less known figure of the Arthurian cycle reveals a profound secret about one of the most terrifying battles of life.  Who is the Green Knight and how may we defeat him?

November 21:  The Magician as Hero:  The Mysterious Archetype of Merlin  Not all heroes wield the sword; some prevail through the magic wand.  Jung identified with the figure of Merlin; can we do the same?

October 2014:  Dreams and Altered States

Can various forms of Gnosis be experienced in everyday consciousness, or does consciousness need to be altered for such a purpose?  Ancient mysteries will be combined with the nightly experience of dreams in this excursion into the light that shines in the darkness of the dream of the night and the vision of the day.

October 3:  What are Altered States?  From Eleusis to the dream interpretation of Artemidorus and the dream symbolism of the Pyramid Texts.

October 10:  Dreams and Modern Psychology:  From Freud's notion of disguise of meaning, to Jung's individuation and archetypes, Ego Symbols, the Shadow complexes and others.

October 17:  Dreams and Transcendence:  Intimations of superhuman and supernatural realities in dreams.  The Jungian "Big Dream" and its relation to Vision and Active Imagination.

October 24:  Vision and its Facilitators:  Magical and Sacramental ritual.  The Mystery of the imagination.  Better visions through chemistry:  The effects and future of the Psychedelic Revolution.

September 2014:  Gnosis and the Middle East

The Gnostic Tradition originated in what is now known as the Middle East. In spite of two millennia of warfare and persecution, remnants of the Ancient Gnosis continued to survive precariously in this region. At the present time war and persecution threaten to obliterate these Gnostic-related religious groups forever. In these talks, Dr. Hoeller will describe the nature and teachings of several of these endangered offspring of the Gnosis.

September 5:  The Mandaeans, Carriers of the Pure Gnosis:  Exterminated and exiled during the Iraqi war, these Gnostics possess the most poetic scriptures and sacred practices.

September 12:  The Yezidis and their Knowledge of Sacred Fire and Demiurge:  Recently greatly endangered, this ancient religion carries important Gnostic teachings.

September 19:  The Druze, the Samaritans, the Kalasha and esoteric Islamic sects, such as the Ismailia and the Alawi:  Secret religions, many believing in Reincarnation and sometimes showing Manichaean influences.

September 26:  The Sufis and their Enigmatic Mysticism:  Though assumed to be Moslems, most Sufis are mainly Gnostic.  Could their mystic Gnosis become the reconciling solution of the current conflicts in the Middle East and beyond?

August 2014:  Three Mystical Teachers of the 20th Century

A Tribute and a Memoir
The last century brought not only darkness (Two world wars; many dictators; the Atom Bomb etc.) but also some outstanding teachers of the Inner Wisdom.  Three of these found their home in California and were known personally to some of us, including the speaker.  We shall invoke their wisdom and message.

August 1:  Gerald Heard, the Modern Unknown Philosopher:  Philosopher, Psychopomp, Pioneer of Altered Consciousness; a remarkable man.

August 8:  Commemoration of our 10th Anniversary at our present quarters:  Remanescenses; tributes; Fun and Celebration.  An address by Dr. Hoeller on Gnosis in Los Angeles; Past, Present and Future.

August 15:  Alan Watts: Pilgrim of Eternity  Pilgrim between Continents and Worlds; Mediator between Eastern and Western Spirituality.

August 22:  Manly P. Hall; the Sage of Los Angeles:  Esotericist; Wise Instructor; Kind and Insightful American Patriot.

July 2014:  Gnosis and Soul

The word "Soul" is being used extensively.  But do we know what soul is?  How it is distinguished from the psychologist's "Psyche"?  How it relates to "Spirit" and "Nous", as used in classical times?  How does this concept and reality of the soul manifest in the psycho-cosmology of Gnosticism?  These and related questions will be answered by Dr. Hoeller in these three lectures.

July 11:  The Many Faces of the Soul:  The Soul as seen in Ancient Egypt; in the Hebrew Bible; in Ancient Greece; in Christian belief and Allegory; in India and China; and in Gnosticism.

July 18:  The Soul as the oppressed Feminine:  The Nag Hammadi Library contains a singularly moving account of the soul as an abused and suffering feminine being.  The translated text with Dr. Hoeller's commentary will be presented.

July 25:  The Soul as Exile and Traveller between Worlds:  The Gnostic monomyth as contained in the "Acts of Thomas", known usually as "The Hymn of the Pearl", recounted and explained from the point of view of today's Gnosis.

June 2014:  Esoteric America

In an age of confusion and uncertainty regarding the values and ideals of the United States of America, these talks will stimulate insight into the often unrecognized element in the American Spirit.  Utilizing the teachings of Manly P. Hall (for whose Philosophical Research Society Dr. Hoeller lectured for nearly 50 years) and of recent research by historian Mitch Horovitz ("Occult America" and "One Simple Idea") the ideal foundation and renewals of the Esoteric Spirit of this land will be discussed.  Recommended reading: Dr. Hoeller's book "Freedom".

June 6:  From Shamanic to Masonic America:  Thomas Jefferson's Iroquois model for the U.S. Constitution.  American Indian ideals and their continuing influence.  The coming of Enlightenment Hermeticism through Freemasonry.  The strange role of Slavery in U.S. history.

June 13:  Hermetic versus Puritan America:  The ongoing conflict between the esoteric spirit of the Founders and the Colonist mentality of a portion of American Religion.  A glimpse into the conflict in the statements of C.G. Jung.

June 20:  American Optimism and Gnosis:  The Neo Hermeticism of the New Thought Metaphysical tradition and its relation to Classical Esotericism.

June 27:  America and the New Myth of Consciousness:  What holds the future for America?  Following in the footsteps of Albert Pike and traditional Freemasonry.  The U.S.A. and the Revival of Gnosticism.

April and May 2014:  The Great Tradition Today

Dr. Hoeller will discuss the rebirth of the Tradition of Gnosis in the 20th and 21st Centuries.  This will conclude the series given early this year.  The talks deal not merely with history but with teachings and practices.

April 4:  Light from the 19th Century:  The French Occult revival: Eliphas Levi and the rebirth of Magic; Papus, Master Philippe and the New Gnostic Church.

April 11:  Light from the Early 20th Century:  Rudolph Steiner and the Neo-Rosicrucian Current; Vril; Thule Society; Neo-Grail and Spear of Destiny.

May 9:  Tarot and the Rebirth of Divination:  Divination and Gnosis; Structure of the Tarot Deck; Kabbalistic Tarot.  Dr. Hoeller will display his collection of Tarot Decks.

May 16:  The Return of Ceremonial Magic:  The Golden Dawn; Ecclesiastical Magic of C.W. Leadbeater; Aleister Crowley and Israel Regardie, the "Neo-Golden Dawners".

May 23:  The Nag Hammadi Gnostic Renaissance:  69 years after the discovery; from Scholarship to Gnosis in the culture.  Gnostic themes in 21st Century humanity.

May 30:  Gnostic Revolution in Depth-Psychology:  Jung revealed as Gnostic in his Red Book; the reaction:  Esoteric Delight and Secular Discomfort.

March 2014:  Gnosis and Drama

An exploration of the relationship of Art and Gnosis, with a Gnostic and Jungian review of three great dramatic works originating in three different historical epochs and three different nations.

March 7:  Homer's "Odyssey":  The greatest adventure story ever told, which has been the favorite of Western Culture for three thousand years; and -- among other things -- depicts the journey of the soul.

March 21:  Goethe's "Faust": The Magic of Individuation  The Magical and Alchemical drama from the 18th Century. The paramount dramatic work of the German language had a great influence on C.G. Jung.

March 28:  "The Tragedy of Man":  Often called "the Hungarian 'Faust'", this drama by the 19th Century Hungarian poet Imre Madach is a profound philosophical play. Dr. Hoeller will interpret this chief literary work of his native Hungarian language.

January and February 2014:  The Great Tradition

The Esoteric Current of the West in Past, Present and Future:  Dr. Hoeller will explore the various phases of the Tradition with a primary focus on its message of ideas, with a minor emphasis on historical detail.

January 10:  Annual Tarot Prognostication for the U.S.A.:  Dr. Hoeller¹s annual reading of the cards, this for the year 2014.

January 24:  Sources of the Tradition:  Source Experiences and Teachings in Gnosticism; Manicheanism; Hermeticism; Alchemy and Neo-Platonism.

January 31:  Medieval Currents:  The Cathars; the Theosophy of Jacob Boehme; the Rosicrucian Enigma.

February 7:  Enlightenment Mysticism:  Emergent Freemasonry, the Early Adepts:  The Conte de St Germain, Martines de Pasqualy and Louis Claude de St Martin.

February 14:  The Tradition in the 19th Century:  Eliphas Levi and the Magical Current; Blavatsky and the great Occult Revival.

February 21:  C.G. Jung and the Dawning of the New Gnosis:  Jung's Convergence with the Nag Hammadi discovery and its impact.

February 28:  Signs of the Future:  "To give birth to the ancient in a new time". War, Magic and Religion in the New Aeon.

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2013 Lecture Schedule

December 2013:  Three Myths to Live By

The great mythologist Joseph Campbell in his two books "Myths to Live By" and "The Inner Reaches of Outer Space" has pointed the way to new creative mythologies for our time.  These three lectures will explore some of these motifs.

December 6:  Myths of War and Peace:  In the present world of radical conflict, it may be useful to observe the mythological aspects of war and peace, based in part on Joseph Campbell's essay on the subject.

December 13:  Myths of Creation and Destruction:  Today we see much preoccupation with end-time scenarios.  The Gnostic Christ says in the Gospel of Thomas:  "Know ye then the beginning that you inquire about the end?"  The connection of end and beginning in Mythic Reality will be explained.

December 20:  The Myth of Reality:  The nascent new myth, envisioned by Campbell and Eliade bears a remarkable similarity to the monomyth of the Gnosis.

November 2013:  The Mystical Spirit of Classical Antiquity

"The Child is Father to the Man" says scripture.  In the same manner Gnosticism and Hermeticism had their roots in Greco-Roman antiquity.  The mysticisms of later centuries originated in the mysteries of the so-called Pagan world.  A view at the essence of these mysteries will be presented.

November 8:  Mysteries; Means of Ultimate Transformation:  The prevalence of Mysteries in Egypt, Greece and Judea, and their role in collective individuation.

November 15:  The Enigmatic Secret of Eleusis:  The most renowned of all mysteries and the ecstatic transformation they brought.  What were the means of this?

November 22:  The Mysteries of Dionysius:  Transformation through ecstasy.  Theolepsy, the art of communing with a God.  What is the role of ecstatic states today?

October 2013:  Zosimos and the Gnostic Origins of Alchemy

The Greek alchemist Zosimos was the earliest teacher of what may be called Gnostic Alchemy, which emphasizes the feminine factor in a unique manner.  Jung held Zosimos in very high esteem.  The rare images of Zosimos and his work will be projected for our viewing in the last evening..

October 4:  Jung and Zosimos:  C.G. Jung's discovery of the Gnostic/Hermetic roots of Alchemy. Indications of the special emphasis of the Alchemy of Zosimos.

October 11:  Special Lecture by Dr. Lance Owens:  Dr. Ribi's new book and its Important Message.  While lecturing in Zurich early this year, our speaker befriended Dr. Alfred Ribi, long time teacher at the Jung Institute.  Dr. Owens came to edit and introduce Dr. Ribi's work "The Search for Roots, (C.G. Jung and the Tradition of Gnosis)", about which he will lecture to us.

October 18:  The First Sources of Alchemy:  Grecian and Syriac sources of Alchemy, and their culmination in the Work, in the Arabic work of Zosimos (The Mushaf as-suwar).

September 2013:  Dreams:  The Night Language of the Soul

Dreams represent a perennial interest of humanity  All people dream, although some fail to remember their dreams.  Frequent misunderstandings arise about the content of dreams, because dreams communicate in Symbols.  This series of talks will deal with the basic understanding and interpretation of dreams.  When time permits, individual dreams from the audience may be interpreted at the conclusion of the lecture.  (Please see our titles on Dreams at the BC Recordings website.)

September 6:  The Nature of Dreams; Attempts at Dream-Understanding:  Dream interpretation from pre-historic times until our age.  Insightful classifications of dreams in Antiquity and now.

September 13:  Dreams and the Individuation Process:  Freud had pinpointed the dream as the highway to the Unconscious.  Jung had experienced individuation and used dreams to this end.  The nature of dreams and of individuation will be discussed.

September 20:  The Dream in Sickness and Health:  Illnesses of body and/or mind announce themselves in dreams.  Ancient dream practices were designed for healing.  Can such insights be utilized by us today?

September 27:  Ego Images and Transcendence in Dreams:  Ego Image shifts; complexes; archetypal manifestations, such as the Shadow and the Persona as well as Anima and Animus will be discussed.

August 2013:  Mani, the Prophet and his Liberating Gnosis

Chronologically the last, but spiritually one of the pre-eminent Gnostic teachers was Mani of Persia.  (His portrait-icon by J.V. Saether hangs in our sanctuary.)  Mani's Gnosis remained influential in Europe and Asia for over a thousand years.  Regrettably his literary heritage is still neglected by much of scholarship.  In these talks Dr. Hoeller will review Mani's teachings, and share many singularly poetic and ecstatic prayers and hymns of this tradition.  We shall also clear up some hostile propaganda about what is "Manichaean"!  (Available at the BC Recordings website.)

August 2:  The Perennial Message of the Prophet Mani:  The life and teachings of the Prophet Mani; his way of liberation, and the applicability of his message today.

August 9:  Light and Dark:  Mani's Myth of the Primal Battle  How the world and humanity came to their present state?  What is it that we need to be liberated from?  What are the means of liberation?

August 16:  Mani's Psychology and the Five Stages of Spiritual Progress:  The Soul's Five Qualities and the progression from Hearer to Master.  Who was Mani in reality and who may be his analogue today?

August 23:  Verbal Gems from the Light:  A Sampling of Manichaean Scriptures.  Vision of the Saviour; the promise of the joyous life; departure for the Fullness; the Lord of Light; the prayer that shows the face of God.

August 30:  The Heirs of Mani; their Deeds and Message:  Initiatory Gnosis:  Did Freemasonry have Manichaean roots?  Priscillian of Avila; were the Cathars disciples of Mani?

July 2013:  The Teachings of Paracelsus

The Scientific and Esoteric heritage of the greatest of the Alchemists:  In our June series the limitations of time did not permit a sufficient treatment of the alchemical physician of the 16th Century, Paracelsus.  In these three lectures this omission is rectified through an elucidation of the medical, alchemical and occult teachings of the man who was called "The Swiss Hermes".  (These titles were also delivered previously and are available at the BC Recordings website.)

July 12:  The Five Causes of Disease and the Five Classes of Healers:  The core-principles of Paracelsian medicine.  Are they applicable today?  Paracelsus' effort was the first one combining physical, psychic and spiritual factors in medicine.

July 19:  The Theory of Paracelsus about Magnetic Force and Healing:  The Paracelsian theory of Magnetism and its unacknowledged influence on Medicine, occultism, "Metaphysics" and psychology.  Mesmer, Spiritualism, New-Thought, Charcot and Freud.

July 26:  Spirit, Health and Disease in the Tradition of Paracelsus:  Jung and Paracelsus; Heterodox healing methods of Psyche and Soma.  Alchemy and Entheogens.

June 2013:  Alchemy and Individuation

After concluding the experiences and the writing of the Red Book, C.G. Jung chose the archaic and abandoned art of Alchemy as the symbolic paradigm of individuation and he devoted several of his most profound works to this subject.  Dr. Hoeller intends to give a series in the Fall on the text and images of the Alchemical codex of "Zosimos of Panopolis", the Hermetic-Gnostic Alchemist who chiefly inspired C.G. Jung.  These talks in June are to serve as a background for the further Alchemical talks.  Two of these titles appear to be complimentary to our comprehensive collection on Alchemy at the BC Recordings website.

June 7:  Jung's Entry into Alchemy:  "The Secret of the Golden Flower"  The Chinese Alchemical treatise, presented to Jung by Richard Wilhelm and its mysterious connection with the Red Book.

June 14:  Principles of Alchemy; An Overview of the Great Art:  The process of transformation and its phases.  The elements and forces.  The objective of Alchemy.  "Be ye living Philosopher's Stones".

June 21:  Great Alchemists and Their Work:  Paracelsus the mystic physician and his Alchemical Medicine.  Gerhardus Dorn and other great Alchemical Masters.

June 28:  Alchemy and Religion:  Transformation and the Eucharist; Mercury and Christ; St. Thomas Aquinas and the "Aurora Consurgens".

April and May 2013:  Creativity, Imagination and Gnosis

Conventional religiosity has maintained that spiritual experiences were a gift of Divine Grace and Revelation.  The ancient Gnosis, as fortified by the New Gnosis of C.G. Jung holds that the deific spirit indwelling the human psyche is creative and can draw on transcendental intelligence for its purposes.  Dr. Hoeller explores the workings of such creativity.  (April lectures are available at the BC Recordings website, and May lectures are now merged with 20 others in the "Wisdom Literature through the Ages" set.)

April 5:  Creative Imagination; its Nature and Function:  Anciently seen as the source of Magic; later as the fountain of Art (Virgil was called a Poet and a Magician) and by Jung as the chief agent of individuation. Available free at bcrecordings.net

April 12:  The Artist as Gnostic Magician:  Writers of prose and poetry, painters and sculptors; composers and musicians in their relation to creative Magic.

April 19:  Creative Imagination and Ancient Gnostic and Hermetic Gnosis:  Evidence of Creative Imagination in the Nag Hammadi Scriptures and in Hermetic writings.  "The Treatise of the Eighth and the Ninth"; Hermetic Hymns and the Poimandres.

April 26:  Mystic Imagination and its Disclosures:  Christian Mystics; Ibn Arabi's Sufi Mysticism; William Blake and "secular" mystic visions.

May 3:  W.B. Yeats: The Poetry of Magic and Vision:  Magus of the Golden Dawn; protegé of H.P. Blavatsky; prophet of the Celtic Revival.

May 10:  Louis Claude de St. Martin; Mystic Poet; Unknown Philosopher:  The Life, Message and Adeptic Role of the Father of the French Martinist tradition.

May 17:  J.W. von Goethe and the Archetype of Faust:  The "prince of poets and poet of princes" admired by Freud, Jung, Rudolf Steiner; co-creator of the modern German language and Esoteric Sage.

May 24:  J.R.R. Tolkien; his Myth and Vision:  Creator of the greatest Myth of the 20th Century; traveler in an Alternative Reality.

May 31:  Robert Graves, the Poet of Myth:  Greatest living poet of the English tongue of his time. Imaginative myth-maker extraordinaire.

February and March 2013:  Types and Functions of the Feminine Soul

In these talks Dr. Hoeller discusses the Four Functional Forms of the feminine psyche as given by Toni Wolff, a pioneering associate of C.G. Jung.  These lectures include esoteric elements and "Red Book glimpses" not included in Dr. Hoeller's lectures on this subject in previous years.  (These recordings are available at the BC Recordings website.)

February 1:  Feminine Psyche: Feminine World Soul:  The trans-cosmic Feminine Principle and its psychological implications.

February 8:  The Mother:  First of Toni Wolff's Structural (and functional) Forms of the Feminine Psyche.  The Maternal Woman and her perennial significance.

February 22:  The Amazon:  The form most favored by modern and post-modern Feminists. Woman as fighter, activist and executive.

March 1:  The Medial Woman:  Woman as Oracle, and Intuitive.

March 22:  The Heteira:  The Woman Companion, Inspirer and guide.

January 2013:  The Psychology of the Beyond

Two lectures on Jung's Transcendental Psychology

In these lectures Dr. Hoeller interprets a little-known treatise by Barbara Hannah, an important disciple of C.G. Jung.  It was delivered in lecture form in 1968 on the occasion of the 80th Birthday of the foundress of jungian Psychology in the U.S., Dr. M. Esther Harding and was never published.  The content of this piece is highly unusual and unique.  (These recordings are available at the BC Recordings website.)

January 11:  The Immortal Body and Its Psychology:  The insights Jung received from Richard Wilhelm; the Nature of the "Beyond".

January 25:  Assembling the Psyche around its Deific Center:  Chinese and Western Alchemy, After-Death States, Symbolism of Kundalini Yoga.  Detachment from the finite; entry into the infinite.

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2012 Lecture Schedule

December 2012:  The World; Beginning, End and Transcendence

The 21st day of this month was widely heralded as a time of the ending of the World, of the Age, or at least of the Mayan Calendar, if even that.  We awaited the end of the World with some relevant talks leading up to it.  (Dec. 7th, 14th and 28th recordings are available at the BC Recordings website.)

December 7:  Origins and End of Mundane Reality:  Where does the World come from and where might it be going?  The Gospel of Thomas says:  "Know ye then the Beginning so that you inquire about the End?  For where the Beginning is there shall be the End also!"

December 14:  Jung, Aquarian Age and the Prophecy of "Liber Novus":  Where do we find ourselves in the sequence of "War, Magic and Religion"?

December 21:  Mayan End of the World Party and Program:  After some introductory remarks and appearance of the spirit of the Prophet Criswell, some unrestrained revelry celebrating the end of the world obtained.

December 28:  Annual Tarot Prognostication for the U.S.A.:  Dr. Hoeller¹s annual reading of the cards, this for the year 2013.

November 2012:  Expansion of Consciousness; the Gnostic Process in Our Lives

In this series, Dr. Hoeller sheds light on the Expansion of Consciousness as it is facilitated by various modalities available in our changing culture.  (These recordings are available at the BC Recordings website.)

November 2:  Death and Its Meaning in Gnosis and Consciousness:  This lecture is being delivered on All Soul's Day, known in many places as the "Day of the Dead".  An ancient saying declares:  "Memento Mori (Remember Death)".  We shall contemplate mystical and Gnostic aspects of the mystery of transition.

November 9:  Consciousness and Literature; Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Modern Myths:  Can Tolkien's Hobbits bring us some Gnosis?

November 16:  Consciousness and Religion:  Is the New Religion foretold in Jung's "Red Book" emerging.  Can Martin Buber's "I and Thou" change into "I am Thou"?

November 23:  Consciousness and Chemistry:  Does the Psychedelic Revolution still have a future?  Can Hofmann, Aldous Huxley and Gerald Heard still help us with Consciousness?

November 30:  Recognizing your Gnosis:  Often we hear the plaintive cry "I follow my spiritual practices but I notice no change!"  A graphic and practical way will be presented whereby we may recognize our expansion of Gnostic Consciousness.  Based on a personal revelatory experience of the speaker.

October 2012:  The Wife of Jesus (?): And the Feminine Gnostic Mystery

Late in September 2012, Prof. Karen King announced a new find; a fourth century Coptic papyrus fragment entitled by some "The Gospel of Jesus' Wife".  Dr. Hoeller evaluates this material and amplifies it with cognate information from ancient as well as modern Gnostic sources.  (These recordings are available at the BC Recordings website.)

October 5:  Jesus said "My Wife":  A Gnostic looks at the presumed evidence indicating that Jesus was married. Principal source will be Karen King¹s article in the forthcoming Harvard Theological Review, issue for January 2013.

October 12:  Mary Magdalene; the ongoing Mystery:  How does the Gnostic teaching about the Divine Mystery relate to the ever re-appearing lesser mystery surrounding Mary Magdalene, and moreover how may we distinguish the real mystery from mere mystification?

October 19:  The Feminine in C.G. Jung¹s "Red Book":  The Soul; Salome; Helen-Baucis (the consort of PHILEMON); the Divine Mother in the lofty Height. How these figures relate to the Gnostic Feminine Image.

September 2012:  Myth and Humanity

In this brief series Dr. Hoeller reviews the role of Myth in the work of human transformation.  He uses the inspirer of the New School of Mythology, C.G. Jung, and two great mythologists, Eliade and Campbell to illustrate the transformative role and value of myth.  The material presented here is mostly different from earlier lectures dealing with the topic of Myth.  (These recordings are available at the BC Recordings website.)

September 7:  C.G. Jung, Master of the Great Myth:  C.G. Jung inspired a new view of Mythology, but he also created a new myth, which may be called the Great Myth of the New Aion and its God.

September 28:  Mircea Eliade, Master of the Sacred, and Joseph Campbell, American Master of Myth:  Eliade, the Roumanian scholar and long-time professor of the University of Chicago has brought us a new view of the study of Religion in mythological terms.  This approach has been characterized as the nostalgia of the sacred.  Campbell as the most lucid interpreter of Jung's approach to myth, and as the herald of the Troubadour and Grail era of the Mythic heritage of the West.

August 2012:  The Odyssey of Depth Psychology

Throughout the 20th Century, Depth Psychology with its branches; Psychoanalysis, Analytical Psychology, Psychosynthesis and others became the normative discipline of soul and mind.  What were the origins of this discipline and what may be its future?  (These recordings are available at the BC Recordings website.)

August 3:  Occult and Mystical roots of Depth Psychology:  The Mesmeric-Hypnotic Revolution: Mesmer, Christian Science, New-Thought, "Metaphysics"; followed by early psychologists William James, Pierre Janet, Theodore Flournoy. Psyche and Psychical Research.

August 10:  Jung and Freud:  Friends and Foes.  The origins of Psychoanalysis; its connection with Hypnosis.  The old and young prophet of Depth-Psychology:  The convergence of their views and the parting of their ways.

August 17:  The Coming of the Wizards:  The challenge of Esoteric teachers:  Blavatsky, Steiner, Gurdjieff and others to Depth Psychology.  Occult Psychology and Psychological Occultism.  Where does the Gnostic and Mystical Jung differ from from the occultists?

August 24:  The Gnostic, Hermetic, Alchemical and Kabbalistic Jung:  C.G. Jung's transvaluation of mystico-magical disciplines, and its effect on the world of Depth Psychology.

August 31:  Beyond Psychotherapy:  Jung's New Paradigm.  With the publication of Liber Novus (Red Book) Jung proclaims a New Aionic Age.  Will this create a new paradigm replacing psychotherapy or will the paradigm bring its own therapeutic overtones?

July 2012:  America's Secret Heritage

The Tradition of Esoteric and Secret Orders (Lodges, Temples etc) as it relates to the principles, organization and future of the American Republic.  A series of talks that is of special interest in this portentous election year.  (These recordings are available at the BC Recordings website.)

July 6:  Freemasonry, the Spiritual Patron of the U.S.A.:  The Masonic foundations of early America.  The philosophy of Freemasonry. The Hiramic Legend.  Franklin, Washington:  Were the founding Fathers really Brothers (of the Craft)?

July 13:  The Esoteric Reform of American Freemasonry:  Albert Pike, the Mason who led Freemasonry to the mystical promised land.  The occult roots of post-Civil War Scottish Rite Masonry, and their future potential.

July 20:  The Distant Roots of the Masonic Tree:  Rosicrucianism, Ancient and Modern; and its Cathar origins.  Martinism; its founders, revivers; Martinez de Pasqually, St. Martin and Papus.  The Knight's Templar; their Masonic connection and their relevance today.

July 27:  Conspiracies, Magicians and Tricksters; true and invented:  The Illuminati; Middle Eastern Masons; Crowleyanity; the Bilderbergers.  Will the future of the U.S.A. still contain its esoteric essence?

June 2012:  Four Great Essays of C.G. Jung

From Jung's shorter writings, Dr. Hoeller selected four very significant titles which merit consideration at this time.  The material is evaluated in the light of insights from Jung's Red Book and related sources.  (These recordings are available at the BC Recordings website in the set "Jung's Hidden Wisdom".)

June 1:  The Symbolic Life:  Jung's epochal lecture on the religious aspects of the psyche, evaluated in a contemporary context.

June 8:  The Psychology of the Spirit:  Delivered as a lecture at one of the Eranos Conferences, this essay is a seminal work on the deeper aspects of Jung's Psychology.

June 15:  Synchronicity:  Entitled originally "Synchronicity, an a-causal Connecting Principle", this essay of Jung points to a mysterious and fascinating principle of psychic reality.

June 22:  The Psychology of the Eucharistic Mystery:  In an Eranos Conference Jung presented his singularly insightful paper "Transformation-Symbolism in the Mass" which has much bearing on Sacramental spirituality.

May 2012:  The Meaning of Dreams and Dreaming

These talks are designed to provide the inquirer with some keys to the interpretation of dreams.  Dreams are the relatives of visionary and Gnostic experiences, and thus of great interest to students of the spirit.  The principles here are Jungian with Gnostic amplification..

May 4:  The Practical Meaning of Dreams:  The Dream Experience and the ancient clarification of dreams given by Artemidorus.

May 11:  Dreams of Ego and Archetype:  The dream content of personal and transpersonal messages.

May 25:  A Special Event: New Light on Judas and his Gospel.  A brief, funny and thoughtful mystery play "A night with Judas Iscariot" performed by members of the Gnostic Center, written by the great scholar Marvin Meyer, introduced by Dr. Hoeller with an update of the very latest news about the Gospel of Judas.

April 2012:  Apocalypse:  Prophecy or symbol?

Recently, the publication of the book "Revelations; Visions, Prophecy and Politics in the Book of Revelation" by Elaine Pagels, arguably the best known scholar of matters Gnostic and of early Alternative Christianity attracted some considerable attention.  In these talks Dr. Hoeller evaluates some of Prof. Pagel's material, along with some of the contents of the book "Archetype of the Apocalypse; A Jungian Study of the Book of Revelation" by the late Edward F. Edinger.

April 13:  What is the "Apocalypse of John"?  The most puzzling book of the Bible and its manifold interpretations.  Roman politics, foretelling the future, or a metaphor for Kundalini symbolism?

April 20:  Gnostic Apocalypses:  The proto-Gnostic Ezra, Zostrianos, Thunder the Perfect Mind; Trimorphic Protennoia; The Secret Book of John and other books of the Nag Hammadi collection.

April 27:  The Depth Psychological Meaning of the Apocalypse:  The Depth Psychological Meaning of the Apocalypse.  The Archetype of the Apocalypse as seen by Edward Edinger; which is the "momentous event of the coming of the Self into conscious realization", an earth-shaking event both in the life of the soul and of the culture.

March 2012:  The Gnosis of the Light

This nearly forgotten Gnostic scripture, also called "The Untitled Apocalypse", is found in the Bruce Codex discovered in 1769.  It has only one translation (1918).

March 9:  Introducing The Gnosis of the Light:  Commenting on the overall nature and structure of the scripture and the original translator's introduction.  The text is a visionary description of inner worlds, not unlike Jung's Red Book.

March 23:  The Saving power of Messengership:  Seth, the Logos, Jesus and the Powers of Messengership, the Supernal Mother.

March 30:  Creation and the Powers of Gnosis:  The great conclusion of this scripture and the great concluding prayer of ecstasy.

February 2012:  Depth Psychology and the Esoteric Tradition

Was C.G. Jung a link in the Golden Chain of Wisdom?  Dr. Hoeller will trace the major features of the tradition of Inner Wisdom in relation to their new articulation in psychological terms by C.G. Jung.

February 3:  Jung and the Pansophic Tradition:  The tradition of universal Wisdom (Pan Sophia) and Jung's position within it.

February 10:  Hermetic Wisdom and the Teachings of C.G. Jung:  The winged messenger of the Gods and Jung as his modern interpreter.

February 17:  Jung as reviver of the Gnostic Tradition:  Gnosis and its great relevance to the prophetic message of Jung.

February 24:  Jung and the alternative Mysticism of the West:  The Holy Grail; the Rosy Cross; Kabbalah; Magic and Theosophy in Depth Psychological perspective.

January 2012:  Autobiographical Glimpses of Dr. Hoeller

Two special lectures by Dr. Hoeller in January 2012
Dr. Hoeller is currently engaged in writing his autobiography. He has been asked by many of you to reveal some portions of this material in lecture form, and he shares some of his personal reminiscences from his long career and speaks of some of his own "Memories, Dreams and Reflections".  (These recordings are available at the BC Recordings website.)

December 30, 2011:  Dr. Hoeller's Annual Tarot Forecast:  Prognostication for the United States of America for the year 2012.

January 13:  Finding Gnosis in Post World War II Europe:  Glimpses of Gnostic experiences from early childhood and in youth as manifest in dreams, visions and wartime experiences.

January 27:  Serving the Gnosis in America:  In So. California from the 1950s into 2012. Los Angeles, the New Alexandria. Contacts with philosophers, Theosophists to Gurus and the like. Gnostic Church and Gnostic Society. Glimpses of the possible future.

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2011 Lecture Schedule

November and December:  Who was C.G. Jung?

Gnostic Psycho-biographical Glimpses of Dr. Jung

Since the latter part of 2009 Dr. Hoeller elucidated the content of Jung's mysterious work, the Red Book.  This time he reviews incidents of Jung's life and work, in part in the light of the long-secret revelations of Liber Novus (Red Book).

November 11:  Jung's Early Background:  Family background, childhood and student years, including glimpses of his Zofingia lectures.

November 18:  Spirits, Seership and the Youthful Dr. Jung:  Parapsychology, Occultism and his cousin Helene Preiswerk.

November 25:  NO LECTURE:  Thanksgiving Holiday weekend.

December 2:  Freud and Jung; Friends and Foes:  Psychoanalysis, Psychological Types, Synchronicities.  The controversial Sabina Spielrein.

December 9:  The Call of the Mystery:  Visions and Writing of the Red Book.  Confrontation with the mystery; the Source Experience of all later writings and actions.

December 16:  Memories, Dreams & Reflections:  What was concealed and Revealed.    The autobiographical fragments and their about to be published missing portions.  The mystic end of a mystic life.

December 30:  Dr. Hoeller's Annual Tarot Forecast:  Prognostication for the United States of America for the year 2012.

October 2011:  Feminine Archetypes; Symbolic and Real

Since the Nineteen Sixties much attention came to focus on the feminine archetypes of the psyche and on their manifestations in goddess figures, even in a quasi-monotheistic form as "The Goddess".  Dr. Hoeller evaluates these phenomena in terms of their psycho-spiritual relevance, sifting the spiritual wheat from the politicized chaff, on the basis of Gnosis and C.G. Jung's teachings by tracing the archetypes from their cosmic beginnings to their presence in today's culture.

October 7:  Feminine Archetypes in the Sky: The Three Women in the Moon  The concept of the Anima and its perceived vision in the symbolism of the Moon. Lunar magic and feminine archetypes.

October 14:  The Archetype of the Mother; Zodiacal and Human :  The Piscean, watery Mother Archetype and its complementary image in Virgo. The transformation of these images in depth-psychology. Freud's and Jung's views of these psychic forms.

October 21:  The Deific Feminine in Jung's Red Book:  The feminine soul ("Meine Seele"); The Romantic Salome, Sophia Returning, as in Jung's great painting (p. 155 of the Red Book) and the "Mother, who dwells in the highest circle".

October 28:  Sophia Past, Present and Future:  The Divine Sophia as present in Gnostic, in Biblical and in Eastern Orthodox sources as well as her manifestation today and prophecies for the future.

September 2011:  Death, the Last Enemy

Death is a universal human experience.  In these talks Dr. Hoeller returns to this always timely topic with a treatment of the subject connected with such subjects as altered states, visionary journeys and out-of-body experiences..

September 9:  Removing the Sting of Death:  The Gnostic tradition offers means whereby the Gnostic can state with St. Paul:  "Death, where is thy sting; Grave, where is thy victory?"

September 16:  Visions and Sacraments related to Death:  Rites of Passage from life to afterlife may assist us and our friends to meet the Grim Reaper, who might be rendered less grim as the result.

September 23:  Death and After:  Esoteric Insights into After Death States  Heavenworlds; purgatorial states; reincarnation; liberation from the wheel of birth and death and related after-death possibilities.

September 30:  Meaninglessness and the Fear of Death against the Good Death:  Death when approached with liberating insight.  Insights of various traditions, including the "Divine Mercy" movement in present-day Catholicism, which is removing fear of eternal damnation.

August 2011:  The Battle about God

The Monotheistic culture of the West is struggling today with its central Archetype.  The New Atheists:  Do Ehrmann, Hitchens and others think they are fighting God, while they struggle with Jehovah?  What have Gnostics to say on this matter and what can experiential spirituality, including that of Jung contribute to the battle?.

August 5:  Gnosis and the New Atheists: Was Nietzsche right that God is dead?  Are contemporary critics right that he never existed?  What can past and present Gnostics contribute to the debate?

August 12:  God as Experiment; Huxley, Heard and Huston Smith:  The discovery of the religious significance of entheogenic plants and chemicals.  Can consciousness-magnifying substances help people reach God?  Exploring the mysterious relation of entheogens, consciousness and mystical religion.

August 19:  Psyche and God:  Jung's statements about God in his psychological writings  His psychological discourses of the religious depths of the Psyche.  His statements on such topics as the Existence, Essence, Personality and Acts of God.

August 26:  The God of the New Aion:  The predictions about the New Religion of the inner God as found in the Red Book.  Phanes, Izdubar and "Christ, our Indwelling Lord". Is the New God Image related to the God of the esoteric tradition?

July 2011:  Kabbalah, Gnosis and Jung's Teachings

How Kabbalah and Gnosticism influenced Depth Psychology, especially in the teachings of C.G. Jung.  What is Kabbalah and how does it appear in Jung's experience and teachings and what is its relationship to Gnosticism?  (Madonna does not appear in this series! Ha, ha.)

July 8:  Kabbalah, its Nature, Structure and Origins:  The importance of emanationism, the Tree of Life; Gods and Demiurge in Kabbalah.  How Kabbalah deconstructed Monotheism.

July 15:  The principal Literature of Kabbalah:  The Zohar and the Sefer Yetzirah. The virtues and defects of literary Kabbalism.

July 22:  The "Prophetic" or Mystical Kabbalah:  Abraham Abulafia and his mystical Kabbalah.  The meditations of Abulafia; a Yoga for the West.  The compatibility of Abulafia's Kabbalah with Christian mysticism.

July 29:  The Lurianic Kabbalah and its Gnostic Features:  Luria, the Holy Lion of Wisdom.  Tsimtzum and Tikhun; their relationship to Gnostic Pleroma and Manichaen gathering of sparks.  The influence of Lurianic Kabbalah on Hassidism.  Understanding and misunderstanding Luria.

May and June 2011:  Myth, the Soul's Narrative

An Evaluation of Jungian Influenced Mythological Study From Homer to the Holy Grail, and from Faust to Tolkien, Humanity was ever inspired and informed by the myths of cultures and individuals.  C.G. Jung has exerted a great influence on the new school of mythology that developed in the 20th century.
The Red Book has informed us about Jung's own central myth and its source.  Dr. Hoeller evaluates the work of Jungian influenced mythologists and their approach to the realities of the soul.

May 6:  Psyche and Myth:  The nature and message of the mythology Jung inspired and its future role in the culture.

May 13:  The Enchanted Life:  The uses of Enchantment and ecstasy.  Myth and altered states of consciousness from Eleusis to the Nineteen Sixties.

May 20:  Erich Neumann and the Story of Amor and Psyche:  Jung's great disciple and his interpretation of a great myth.

May 27:  Mircea Eliade and the Nostalgia of the Sacred:  How to revive the Sacred and return it to the life of the culture.

June 3:  Synchronicity and its Myth of Interconnectedness:  Do inexplicable events have a startling explanation we have not recognized?

June 10:  Myth and Sacrament and Jung's Future Aion:  Jung's essay "Transformation Symbolism in the Mass" and the future of religion.

June 17:  Merlin the Mage: Was Jung his Mythic Heir?  Jung stated that Merlin's was his personal Myth.  How may we apply this myth to his work?

June 24:  The Undiscovered Self:  The Myth of Future Humanity  Jung's also noted work and his "Modern Man in Search of a Soul".  Their Message.

March and April 2011:  Jung's Great Mandala of the All

In Appendix A of the printed Red Book we find a large circular design slightly resembling a labyrinth or maze.  It is entitled SYSTEMA MUNDITOTIUS (System of all the World) and acts as a diagram illustrating the Septem Sermones ad Mortuos (Seven Sermons to the Dead).  Dr. Hoeller, who wrote the first ever book of commentaries on the Sermons (The Gnostic Jung and the Seven Sermons to the Dead, 1982) reviews the Sermons, along with their Red Book amendments by Philemon in the light of the system diagram.  This is a unique addition to his 2009-2010 lectures on the Red Book.  Note from the Scribe:  The March titles will have to be revised to reflect the actual content presented, since the material, as thought likely, required more time to complete, thus extending this series into April - - BC

March 4:  Microcosm and Macrocosm:  The First and Second Sermons.  The outer and inner circlesof the diagram.  Inner and outer Pleroma.  (Helios) God and Devil in the Cosmic system.

March 11:  The Third and Fourth Sermons:  The Paradox of Abraxas and the Tree of Life and Celestial Fire.  Did Jung correctly identify Abraxas with the Demiurge?

March 25:  The Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Sermons:  Heavenly Mother and Phallos; Community and Solitude.  The mystery of the Serpent and the Dove;  The human Spirit and the Ultimate God.

April 1:  Gods and the Forces in Human Community:  The Fourth and Fifth Sermons including Philemon's commentaries with images of the Mandala.

April 8:  The Sixth and Seventh Sermons and the total overview of the Mandala:  Finishing the Sermons and Commentaries and the detailed investigation of the Systema.  The image and close-up views will be projected on our screen.

April 15:  Jung's last great Initiation and his resulting Message:  In 1944, after a severe illness Jung had a triple vision of great import.  His experience resulted in three books:  "Mysterium Conjunctionis", "Aion" and "Answer to Job".  Their esoteric message as well as some deep insights from his correspondence with Fr. Victor White will be explained.

April 29:  SPECIAL LECTURE by Rev. John Goelz:  Kabbalistic Magic:  It's Value and Nature.  Introducing his forthcoming classes on the subject on various Tuesday evenings, 22 evenings of one path each evening.

January and February 2011:  Prophets and Prophecies

The approach of the year 2012, with its Mayan Prophecies brings prophets and prophecies into new focus.  It has been said that prophecy is not prediction, even though it purports to be so.  Prophecy may be understood as a contact with eternity, and a thread in the total fabric of meaning.

January 14:  Dr. Hoeller's Annual Tarot Forecast:  Prognostication for the United States of America for the year 2011.

January 21:  From Shaman to Prophet:  Archaic Shamanism developing into prophetic religion. Prophets from the Old Testament to Mormonism. What may be today's prophecy? Are we the lost tribe of humanity (Israel)?

January 28:  Prophets of a New Age:  From Joaquin of Flora to Edgar Cayce and beyond. Andrew Jackson Davis, the American prophet, Swedenborg, Nostradamus.

February 11:  Prophecies of the Divine Feminine:  Lourdes, La Sallette, Fatima and others. Is there a deific feminine presence in history?

February 18:  The Kabbalah and Prophecy:  Abulafia and the Prophetic Kabbalah. Luria and his Gnostic view of past and future. Impact of recent scholarship ("The Great Angel" by Margaret Barker) on Kabbalah and Gnosis.

February 25:  C.G. Jung's Prophecy of the New Aeon:  New Aeon prophecy in The Red Book and its sequel in "Aion" and "Answer to Job". New Aeon against "New Age".

October through December 2010:  Jung's Psychological Types in the Light of the Red Book Revelations

"Psychological Types" by C.G. Jung was the first book he wrote after finishing the Red Book material.  Jung wrote to a friend that the entire book "Psychological Types" was written by him on the basis of 30 pages in the Red Book.  (Find out the types of all of your friends as well as perhaps your own type!).

October 1:  Introducing the Types:  Revealing Human Character.  What are Introvert and Extrovert?

October 8:  Man of Earth:  The Sensate Type and the world of the senses.

October 15:  The Fire of Emotion:  The Feeling Type and its potential.

October 22:  The Human as Thinker:  The wisdom and folly of the Thinking Type.

November 5:  The Nature of Insight:  The Intuitive Type and the power of foresight.

November 12:  Toni Wolff's Four Forms of the Feminine Psyche Pt. 1:  Mother and Heteira; traditional housewife and inspiring lover-companion.

December 3:  Toni Wolff's Four Forms of the Feminine Psyche Pt. 2:  Amazon and Medial woman; woman executive and psychic-prophetess.

December 10:  Creative Fantasy, Gnosis and the Types:  The visionary way.

December 17:  Poetic Vision and the Types:  Prometheus and Psychology.

September 2010:  Visionary Writing; Myth and Prophecy

With the publication of the Red Book, C.G. Jung has officially entered the ranks of visionary writers.  Visionary, or mystical literature has been here for a long time before Jung; in fact Jung has identified some such writings as originating in the experience of original images, notably in the case of the Nag Hammadi library.  In these three lectures Dr. Hoeller draws parallels between Jung and other visionary writers and give other helpful hints, as to how we may develop talents by way of the Active Imagination.

September 3:  Ancient and Modern Visionary Writing:  Examples from the Secret Book of John, the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, the writings of the Prophet Mani, the Acts of Thomas and others.  A modern example:  "The Rose of the World", written in Soviet prison will be reviewed.

September 10:  Visionary Women and their Writings:  Hildegard von Bingen, Mechtild of Magdeburg, Julian of Norwich and Madame H.P. Blavatsky.  A modern visionary work, "Talking with Angels" by four Holocaust victims will be explained also.

September 24:  Red Book and Middle Earth; Jung and Tolkien as Visionaries:  The two magic mythmakers and psychopomps of the last century.  Were they both perceiving other realities and how may we do likewise?

August 2010:  The Images in Jung's Red Book

In an interview Dr. Sonu Shamdasani said that these "images become active imaginations in their own right" besides being "representations and elaborations of the material and the fantasies".  Dr. Hoeller interprets and presents for meditation the images of the Red Book.

August 6:  Introduction to the Red Book Pictures:  Liber Primus and First Part of Liber Secundus.  Initial Image; Soul as White Bird; Serpent; Hell; Seigfried's murder; Elijah and Salome; Scarab; Death; Izdubar and others.

August 13:  Second Part of Liber Secundus:  Ship at night; 5 cosmic regions, 12 Incantations; Twelvefold Tree of Life; 12 Great Mandalas.

August 20:  Third Part of Liber Secundus:  East West Mandala; Encircled Cross; Shadow; Dragon & Sun; Diamond Philosopher's Stone; Prophetic Tetramorph; Love Triumphant.

August 27:  Latter Part of Liber Secundus and Appendix A:  Cosmic Tree, Philemon, Sophia, Jewel, Chinese Castle, Many Faces and Light.  The sketches which preceded paint and brush.  System of the Entire World, which illustrates the Seven Sermons to the Dead.

July 2010:  God and God-Image:  A Mystery of Jung's Gnosis

Jung's Red Book as well as other works, particularly Answer to Job and Aion bring into focus the issue of the changing God-image which Jung saw as having evolved in the history of the West, and as undergoing a new development today.  Dr. Hoeller draws on the sources and ramifications on this subject as present in the Red Book and more intimately in Jung's letters to such friends as Erich Neumann, Fr. Victor White and others.  A creative comparison of Jung's God-Image and of Gnostic God-images will be made.

July 9:  God-Image, Self and Transcendent God:  An introduction to Jung's concept of the God-image, the individuated Ego, and the deities and singular transcendence of Religions.

July 16:  Evolving God-Image and Immutable Divine Reality:  How can one know God and God-images?  How did they evolve to their present status?  What is Jung's position regarding the "God above God"?

July 23:  Jung's New Revelation and Philemon, its Prophet:  The union of the opposites and the reality above opposites.  What is the meaning of the Messianic principle?  Who is Philemon, the new teacher of Wisdom?

July 30:  The Key to the Dilemma of God and God-Image:  Abraxas of the Gnostic and Abraxas of Jung.  Philemon's Red Book commentaries on the Seven Sermons and the light they shed on the true God, the Demiurge and the Self.

June 2010:  Jung as Prophet of the Future

Insights into the pre-cognitive Aspects of the Red Book.  The predictions contained, often in symbolic form, in the Red Book are evaluated and related to some of Jung's writings.

June 4:  The Religion of the Future:  Jung's essay "The Symbolic Life" as indications of the future religion of the West.  Jung's practical advice for contemporary religion as contained in his book on this topic.

June 11:  Jung's "Answer to Job":  His last visionary work as seen through the eyes of the Red Book.  Jung's most frankly visionary work and its relevance to the predictions of the Red Book.

June 18:  Jung's book "Aion":  War, Magic and Religion.  The three stages of the future development of the Psyche and of the World-Soul as manifest in Jung's psycho-historical work "Aion".

June 25:  Freedom and Psyche:  Jung's advice for Society and History.  What are Jung's directives for a psychologically healthy and creative society?  (Dr. Hoeller's book "Freedom; Alchemy for a Voluntary Society" may serve as related material.)

March through May 2010:  C.G. Jung's Alchemy

In 1959 Jung wrote in his Epilogue to the Red Book: "I worked on this book for 16 years. My acquaintance with alchemy in 1930 took me away from it . . . In 1928 . . . Wilhelm sent me the text of the "Golden Flower", an alchemical treatise.  There the contents of this book found their way into actuality . . . " In a similar vein, he wrote in 1938: "My deceased friend, Richard Wilhelm . . . sent me "The Secret of the Golden Flower" at a time that was crucial to my own work. This was in 1928. I had been investigating the processes of the collective unconscious since the year 1913. The text that Wilhelm sent helped me out of this difficulty" . . . i.e. the way that the revelations of the "Red Book" could be made available to the public. In this series Dr. Hoeller reviews the entire body of Jung's alchemical work, viewing it - - as Jung declared - - as a continuation of the work begun in the "Red Book".

March 12:  The Secret of the Golden Flower:  Chinese Alchemy and Richard Wilhelm open the way for Jung to give to the world his insights gained in the visions of the Red Book.

March 26:  A Basic Outline of the History and Nature of Alchemy:  What was the image of Alchemy that attracted C.G. Jung?

April 9:  Psychology and Alchemy:  Jung's chief work on Alchemy.  The major statement regarding the nature of Alchemy.

April 16:  Rosarium Philosophorum:  The ten images of the Transformation in the light of Red Book insights.

April 30:  Philosopher's Stone and Elixir of Life:  The two symbolic objectives of Alchemy and the Red Book disclosures.

May 7:  Zosimos; Alchemy, Sacrament and Gnosis:  Gnosis into Alchemy; vision and Alchemical Sacrament:  Eucharistic Transformation symbolism.

May 14:  Mysterium Conjunctionis:  Jung's Alchemical statement of the Mystery of the Bride Chamber.

May 21:  Red Book approach to Alchemy:  How Alchemy may be practiced today on the basis of the Red Book.

October 2009 through February 2010:  Introducing C.G. Jung's Red Book

October 2009 marked the publication of Jung's long awaited early visionary work entitled "Liber Novus" (The New Book), popularly known as the Red Book.  Now Dr. Hoeller in brief and introductory form elucidates all of the book, chapter by chapter.  Since the material in the lectures is quite diverse, the lectures do not have a single title but are identified by chapter numbers and titles as found in the book.  This allows those who own a book to identify the lectures by the requisite chapters in the Red Book.  (Available in MP3 audio format at the BC Recordings website.)

October 23:  Jung's Red Book: Background and Book I; Chapter I:  Book I is entitled "The Way of What is to Come", and Book I, Chapter I is introduced by "The Spirit of This Time" and "The Spirit of the Depths", and is entitled "Refinding the Soul".

November 6:  Jung's Red Book, Book I; Chapters II, III, IV, V:  Soul and God; On the service of the Soul; The Desert; Experiences in the Desert; Descent into Hell in the Future.

November 13:  Jung's Red Book, Book I; Chapters VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI:  Splitting the Spirit; Murder of the Hero; Conception of the God; Mysterium Encounter; Instruction; Resolution.

November 20:  Jung's Red Book, Book II; Chapters I, II, III, IV, V, VI:  The Images of the Erring; The Red One; The Castle in the Forest; One of the Lonely; The Anchorite; Days I and II; Death.

December 4:  Jung's Red Book, Book II; Chapters VII, VIII, IX, X, XI:  Remains of Earlier Temples; First and Second Day; Incantations; The Opening of the Egg.

December 11:  Jung's Red Book, Book II; Chapters XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII:  Hell; The Sacrificial Murder; Divine Folly; The First, Second, Third and Fourth Nights.

December 18:  Jung's Red Book, Book II; Chapters XVIII, XIX, XX, XXI and Preview of "Scrutinies":  The Three Prophecies; The Gift of Magic; The Way of the Cross; The Magician

January 15:  Dr. Hoeller's Annual Tarot Forecast:  Prognostication for the United States of America for the year 2010.>

January 22:  Jung's Red Book, Conclusion of the final chapter of Book II:  The Return of Salome; Encounter with Satan; The Kabiri; The Royal Son.

January 29:  Jung's Red Book, Scrutinies Part 1:  More teachings of the Soul; Predictions of darkness: Beginning of World War I.  Reappearance of Philemon, The Shadowy Woman, Conjuration of the Dead.

February 5:  Jung's Red Book, Scrutinies Part 2:  The first four of the Seven Sermons to the Dead, with commentaries of Philemon.

February 12:  Jung's Red Book, Scrutinies Part 3:  The remaining three sermons of the Seven Sermons to the Dead; Philemon's commentaries and discourse.

February 19:  Conclusion of the Red Book:  How to treat Gods?  The identity of Philemon.  The mysterious Shade in the Garden.  Excerpts from Appendix C.

February 26:  How to Approach and Understand the Red Book:  Dr. Shamdasani advises us to study Jung's essay on the Transcendent Function to approach the Red Book.  We will review this important essay in the light of our exploration of the Red Book.  A summary of the Red Book's main teachings.

September 2009:  The Coming of the Gnostics

In this series, delivered in the month of the Golden (50th) Anniversary of the Ecclesia Gnostica in America, Dr. Hoeller indicates his vision of the past, present and future of the Gnostic Tradition, particularly within the context of the tasks of the contemporary Gnostic movement.

September 4:  The Survival of the Gnostic Tradition:  From the late Antiquity through such movements as the Priscillianists, Bogomils, Cathars, Mandaeans, Templars, Rosicrucians, Theosophists to the French Gnostic revival at the turn of the 19th to the 20th centuries.

September 11:  GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY LECTURE:  Gnosis in Los Angeles, an Account of the Last 50 Years of Gnostic Work in Los Angeles.    In this historic narrative, Dr. Hoeller will recount his own early contacts with the Gnostic tradition; the coming of the Gnostic Church to L.A. in the person of Richard, Duc de Palatine in 1959 and the subsequent story of our movement and his hopes for the future.

September 18:  The Awakening of Gnostic Consciousness in the 20th and 21st centuries:  The two sources of the Awakening:  The objective; being the discovery and translation of the Nag Hammadi Library; the other subjective, the discovery and proliferation of consciousness altering agencies, sometimes called the Psychedelic Revolution.

September 25:  C.G. Jung, the modern Gnostic Prophet:  In anticipation of the imminent publication of the "Red Book" we shall review Jung's personal development as Gnostic; his "Seven Sermons to the Dead" and his crucial role in the publication of the Nag Hammadi Library.

August 2009:  Mystics; The Practitioners of Sacred Altered States

In spite of orthodox belief systems which dominated their cultures, mystics of every religion, including the Christian, have practiced divine theophanies that were related to the Gnosis of Gnostic and Hermetic provenance.  An analysis in Gnostic and contemporary terms is presented of the lives and experiences of several mystics from medieval to post-modern times.

August 7:  Angelus Silesius and the school of Rhineland Mystics:  Between the 13th and the 16th centuries there flourished in Southern Germany a great mystical movement, replete with visions, prophecies and ecstasies.  One of its pioneer representatives was Angelus Silesius, often called "The Cherubic Wanderer".  This talk will introduce us to this visionary and to the phenomenon of Rhineland Mysticism.

August 14:  Meister Eckhart; a Visionary for all Seasons:  A wise man and visionary of considerable Gnostic overtones, Meister Eckhart has much to teach contemporary students of mysticism.  His insights and teachings are of considerable relevance to mystical phenomena of all ages and traditions.

August 21:  Great Mystic Women:  Juliana of Norvich and Hildegard Von Bingen.  One English, the other a Rhineland German, these two outstanding female mystics bear testimony to Divine Joy and Wisdom and will inspire us today.

August 28:  Huston Smith; modern Scholar and Mystic:  Our contemporary and teacher, Huston Smith authored the well-known textbook "The World's Religions" (Earlier title:  "The Religions of Man").  He is also a pre-eminent advocate of psychedelics within the context of religious experience.

July 2009:  Religion and Spirituality in the 21st Century

Newsweek Magazine claimed in April of this year that Christianity is dead.  There appears to be an upsurge of Atheism and Secularism in Western culture.  Dr. Hoeller presents an analysis of these trends in the light of Gnostic teachings and insights and he will point to the spirituality of the future.

July 3:  The United States, a Spiritual Nation:  The Hermetic, Masonic and Rosicrucian spirit of the U.S.A.  An esoteric tribute on the eve of Independence Day 2009.

July 10:  The Middle Eastern roots of America's Gnosis:  Descending from Hermetic, Gnostic and Neo-Platonic sources, culminating in Templar traditions as well as Sufi, Ismailia, Druze mysteries, the U.S.A. became the new home of Alternative Spirituality.  NOTE:  After the lecture Dr. Hoeller will interview Andy Hill about his new book "No-Where Land".  Mr Hill authored a famous story about us 5 years ago in the L.A. Weekly.  Book signing follows.

July 17:  America:  Birthplace of 19th Century Esotericism:  Spiritualism, Mormonism, Scottish-Rite Freemasonry, Theosophy and other alternative spiritual movements and their Message for the future.

July 24:  Manly P. Hall and California Spirituality:  The Plato of Los Angeles; his true story and his present unfair critics.  Eclectic spirituality conjoined with Southern California Creativity.

July 31:  Jung; his Gnostic Psychology and the Lost Gospels:  Jungian and other 3rd Force psychologies in California.  The Gnostic scholarship of the Institute for Antiquities and Christianity in Claremont.  The possible coming Gnostic Renaissance.

June 2009:  Alchemy: Its Stages of Transformation

In the past, Dr. Hoeller has periodically returned in his lecturing schedule to the subject of Alchemy. For several years, the topic of the three stages of Alchemical Transformation has not been used by our speaker. This vital subject is discussed utilizing previously unused material.

June 5:  Alchemy, the Great Art:  An introduction to Alchemy, utilizing magical, religious and psychological material of past and present.  How may one prepare for one's own Alchemical Process.

June 12:  The Black Stage (Nigredo):  The breaking down of the consensus reality.  The forming of the original substance of being (Prima Materia).

June 19:  The White Stage (Albedo):  The dawning of the light of higher consciousness; the arising of enlightenment.  Envisioning the heavenly light (Lumen Dei) and the natural light (Lumen Naturae).

June 26:  The Red Stage (Rubedo):  The melting of all realities in the red-hot Alchemical fire.  The ultimate fusion of the opposites.  The unifying of reality (Unus Mundus).

May 2009:  The Mysteries; Ways of Entering the Kingdom of the Gods

The ancient Mediterranean World harbored a set of unique institutions devoted to the practice of transcendence and Gnosis. In these talks, Dr. Hoeller speaks of three exemplary mystery systems as well as about the overall nature of the mystery process and its practices.

May 8:  The Mysteries:  Active Means of Ultimate Transformation.  "Ultimate Transformation" is a term popularized by Mircea Eliade.  Its nature and role in human life will be elucidated in this talk.

May 15:  The Mysteries of Eleusis and their Grand Secret:  The most universally esteemed of the mystery institutions; its mythic structure and some of the secrets of its practice (as discerned by Hofmann, Wasson and Ruck) will be explained.

May 22:  Dionysus and his Mysteries of total Rapture:  The wild and ecstatic god Dionysus; his archetypal significance and the nature of his Mysteries.

May 29:  The Gnostic Mysteries, Ancient and Contemporary:  Indications of Gnostic mystery practices appearing in Gnostic scriptures and their continuation in Manichaean, Cathar and contemporary Gnostic mystery practices.

April 2009:  Three Modern Wise Men

The lives, teachings and contemporary relevance of three sages, whose contribution helped to transform the consciousness of the 20th and 21st Centuries.

April 3:  Aldous Huxley; Wisdom through Literature:  A giant of modern literature, Aldous Huxley became also a major exponent of the quest for non-ordinary, spiritual consciousness. His novels, such as "Brave New Worlds", historical studies, including "Grey Eminence" and compilations of mystical Gnosis, like "Perennial Philosophy" have helped to focus the attention of our culture on concerns of the spirit. In this lecture Dr. Hoeller will pay tribute to Huxley and analyse his contribution.

April 17:  Gerald Heard, Philosopher of the Spirit:  Author of works on spiritual philosophy, teacher and lecturer, creative critic of the culture; Heard is an insufficiently appreciated pioneer of the Age of Consciousness. A born mystic, he also became an early and responsible explorer of the potential of psychedelics for the expansion of consciousness.

April 24:  Heinrich Zimmer, Prophet of the New Mythology:  Advisor of C.G. Jung, principal teacher of Joseph Campbell, Zimmer spent his regrettably short life (1890-1943) giving new and spiritual dimensions to the study of Mythology. His work was continued by Campbell, Eliade and Watts, and endures in the role of myth in the 21st Century.

February through March 2009:  Prophecies and Seers; Have They Seen the Future?

A Hollywood Prophet said:  "We are all interested in the future, because that is where you and I will spend the rest of our lives."  In these talks we cast a glance at the nature of prophecy, its value and pitfalls and our own prophetic potential.

February 27:  Nostradamus, Master of Time Travel:  The ever popular medieval occult physician and his revelations in "The Centuries".  Is Nostradamus relevant to our period of Time?

March 6:  Prophecies of the Eternal Feminine:  Lourdes, Fatima and other Marianic predictions as well as less well known feminine prophetic sources.

March 13:  NO LECTURE:  Montségur Day Commemoration.

March 20:  The Book of Revelation:  Perpetual source of excitement of certain sects, this book may be a psycho-spiritual text with Jungian overtones.  Views of the late Edward Edinger on this subject.

March 27:  The Future, is it Good or Evil and is it Now?  End time scenarios, Armageddon, Rapture and other recurring excitements versus Gnostic insight and liberation.

January and February 2009:  Creativity and Gnostic Imagination

Ancient teachers and practitioners of Gnosis, envisioned creativity as a way of invoking transcendental intelligence and beings of the high Aeons.  Such theurgic magic reveals true creativity as transcendentally altered consciousness.  In this series Dr. Hoeller explores the Gnostic Magic of Creative Imagination.

January 2:  Dr. Hoeller's Annual Tarot Forecast:  Prognostication for the United States of America for the year 2009.

January 16:  Creative Imagination; a Gnostic form of Magic:  C.G. Jung rediscovered an ancient Gnostic process and called it "Active Imagination".  Such modern developments will be compared and evaluated in the light of ancient Gnostic theurgic insight.

January 23:  The Practice of the Creative Presence; an Introduction to Gnostic Theurgy:  How one may rise to the Divinities and return to earth with much of their consciousness.

February 6:  The Awakening of Gnostic Imagination in Hermetic Sources:  The way to Illumined Consciousness according to Hermes Trismegistus.  The Poimandres, the Eighth Reveals the Ninth and other sources explored.

February 13:  The Imagination of Love; Troubadours, Sufis and other Magi on the Way of Love:  An eve of Valentine's Day offering.

February 20:  Entheogens and their Creative Imagination:  The work of R. Gordon Wasson, Jonathan Ott, Carl A.P. Ruck on the role of entheogenic agencies (plants, fungi etc) in the working of creativity, especially in ancient mysteries and religions.