general

I remeber the first time that I was shown this tome nearly twenty years ago. My father pulled this volume down from his bookshelf and let me read through it, watching my expressions as I beheld its beauty. I was left with a thirst of wanting more. His copy was an older paperback edition that he acquired in some little esoteric bookstore and at that time this was not an easy book to find, now its much easier (for better or worse) to gain secrets that were once privy to the few.

Since I first beheld this magical book, I was able to procure the large (very large) hardcover limited edition signed by the author - the true gem of my library, priceless.

This is a masterpiece of esoteric literature, one that you'll never part with. Truly a must have volume that belongs in the library of every Freemason, Kabbalist, or Rosicrucian. The title says it all. You'll spend hours upon hours in reflection and enthralled at the details of the text and illustrations. The full color plates are beautifully rendered and will literally leap off the pages. Now that this volume is more easily available and you are at least looking for it (or you wouldn't be here, now would you?) I have one suggestion - BUY IT

This is an excellent text for anyone interested in Esoteric teachings from ancient times onward. The author covers just about anything you've heard of and probably a lot that you haven't. The color plates and illustrations are excellent and there is an amazing amount of information packed into this book. One problem arises, however: some of the information is outdated when newer discoveries are taken into account. The author wrote the book something like 80 years ago and though it's been through revisions, it still contains information that probably should be updated. That is a rare instance however, and I'd say 99% of this book is accurate, right on the money, and DEFINITELY worth the price. You probably won't find another source that covers as much as well. Buy it, borrow it, whatever, it is worth the time to read.

Sure this book is a classic. I gave this book three stars because this could be a better book. Although the full text is presented in this edition,most of the pictures and illustrations are missing. It's claimed that most of the pictures and illustrations are not the most important ones, then why put them in the other editions? Sounds like the buyer is being short changed. Hall says in the title that these are secret teachings. It's not secret, because all of this knowledge is available in books if you look hard enough. However, he does a brilliant job of putting all this information together and the buyer is getting a good deal. The truth is that all secret knowledge is already in books and openly available. It's true that the ancient sages would be irresponsible in putting this knowledge explicitly out in the open. It could be used by evil people to work incredible destruction. The knowledge though had to be transmitted or it would be lost. How then is the knowledge open to the worthy and hidden from the unworthy? Hall gives the clue in the chapter on Shakespeare. That is by constantly rereading and studying the murky passages and others in occult books, the understanding will open up and the secrets revealed. This is the master key to using other cryptograms as well. In India, the ancient sages had students of yoga reread and study well known yoga texts such as the yoga sutras of Pantajali. Why? To discover the secrets and inner meanings of the texts. The goal of the ancient mysteries is for man to save himself and reveal the mysteries of life. This could not be accomplished if the knowledge had no way to be known. The occult has genuine teachings, but it also has many frauds and con artists. They couldn't care less about the occult, but they care about your money. Hall isn't lying when he says these are secret teachings. They are not secret on the surface meaning, but they are in the depths of the knowledge revealed only by study.