New Age

New Age  (Esoteric Religion?)
Interest of	Biblioteca Pleyades
esoteric justification of destructiveness and violence

“He who would do good must do so in minute particulars; the general good is the plea of patriots, politicians and knaves”
Samuel Butler

Unlike the broad meaning of the term in popular culture, on WS the underlying glorification of destructiveness which seem to be a common denominator of many 'oldschool' esoteric movements, is explored as they may or may not surface in deep politics.

Glorification of destructiveness may be subtle, as in demanding everybody get "better", adhering to (unattainable) perfectionism, or more bold as suggesting to tear down everything to build up a new and better world. It might come as a wish for apocalypse, embedded in ancient myths of reincarnation, initiation rites or euthanasia.

Secrecy is maintained by threats, a "don't snitch" rule, not to tell about the violent and often deceptive means by which the 'golden age' must be brought about. Wikipedia defines it thus:

   The term New Age, along with related terms like new era and new world, long predate the emergence of the New Age movement, and have widely been used to assert that a better way of life for humanity is dawning. It occurs commonly, for instance, in political contexts; the Great Seal of the United States, designed in 1782, proclaims a "new order of ages", while in the 1980s the Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev proclaimed that "all mankind is entering a new age". (WP)

Despite the sweet talk, however, at the core of the esoteric schools discussed below, there is a fundamental disidentification with humanity. Glorification, mystification and sexualisation of death: in order for something new to be 'born', something old must 'die'. To prevent opposition of those deemed inferior (and doomed to go under), a system of absolute obedience to (often invisible) higher masters is commonly taught and instituted for members of such cults.

Conspiracy theory?

The nature of conspiracies implies that only hypotheses may be formulated, acknowledging that secrecy can in fact be maintained by plausible deniability and by rules such as a strict need to know basis. Secret services have institutionalized this principle by different levels of "security clearances" their agents may hold.

Adherence to "orders from above" is key as well as believe in a "higher cause", a "big idea" (Bush jr. ), the "general good"; it also relieves the agent from responsibility for his/her actions, which in turn fosters psychological projection (cultivation of enemy images). It follows that members at lower levels or without necessary clearances may live in a very different reality than those at the upper echelons of secrecy cults.

To put forward an hypotheses of ideological meaning of so called deep events (in the absence of provable facts), a correlation analysis of a course of events and the ideological as well as the psychological makeup of historical secret societies may be helpful, as presented in declassified writings of these clubs. This is beyond the scope of this document; only some ancient writings concerned with spiritual aspects of power and control are briefly summarized.

Victory and manic triumph

Victory of Naram-Sin over the mountain tribe of the Lullubi, 2254-2218 BC

The worror-king Naram-Sin made himself a little god wearing an animal mask in this document from 2254-2218 BC through manic victory over the conquered enemy, worshiped and looked upon by his disciples.

The triumph of victory is apparently not enough; the enemy is devalued, degraded, mocked and humiliated - depicted as weak and chaotic, impaled by spears, desperate, fleeing in panic. A woman is begging Naram-Sin for mercy who shows his contempt and sadism by trampling the enemy underfoot. His inscription says: "Naram-Sin the powerful [unreadable] Sidur and Sutuni, princes of the Lulubi, gathered together and they made war against me." Notable is Naram-Sin's grandiosity and the false claim that he was the victim of the aggression of the enemy who conspired against him while at the same time perceiving himself as almighty.

A clear hierarchy is depicted: the highest god is invisible (or damaged), below are two suns or stars. One aspect is visible in a beam of light which shines on the slave-like losers like a spotlight, mocking their weakness. The other aspect is invisible and shines on the victorious warrior-king and his ordered imperial forces keeping in rank while marching over the disordered defenders. Apparently the losers have no clue about the bigger picture and are aware only of what they see in the bright light. On the other hand Naram-Sin, as principal of the work, has awareness of both sides.

There is a dichotomy between dark and bright, the two forces are fighting each other and the dark side is winning. Knowledge of these two sides and the belief the they are irreconcilable (the exclusion of even the possibility of cooperation of opposite forces is the key difference to less aggressive philosophies) is depicted as sentimental, mystical, hidden wisdom. Later schools lamented hat this (simplistic) "hidden truth" had been lost in history, had been suppressed, persecuted, cornered or threatened (victim mentality, messiah complex, paranoid orientation), with the imperative to restore its place - if necessary by deception, trickery, covert methods and force.

The tendency to make oneself into a god at lifetime through manic triumph runs in Naram's family: his grandfather had the same Permanent war/Mentality. A recent example of the idea to become god-like is transhumanism (through fusion with technology that helps overcoming human "limitations" including death).

Self-proclaimed prophecy

The process of enlightenment described in western alchemcal texts (Hermes, Rosenkreutz) is similar to the inner alchemy of Chinese Daoism, but with a twist: In Daoist texts, returning a complex system to its original state of harmony is the goal and acceptance and recognition of reality.

In some Western texts a more forceful "make it happen on purpose" (Ganser), the creation of reality is emphasized, a way to the top of a hierarchy, power over live and death and (as side effect): the creation of money. There is the assumption that outer alchemy reflects back on inner alchemy and vice versa (Hermes; both use the metaphor of repeatedly splitting and fusion of opposites in a process of "cooking", thereby creating "gold" (the original "inferior" ingredients loose their qualities in the process and become "worthy"). Becoming rich and being enlightened seem (magically) related. (cit. CHC)

• Daoism states that the original state of affairs is basically in order and in harmony with nature. In the course of growing up this wisdom gets sidelined and the adept has to rediscover it.
• Indian philosophy states gods are using the earth as playground (A. Watts).
• Buddhism states we can not know, therefore seeking control for its own sake means clinging to something we do not own and may lead to trouble.
• Most medieval authors, in contrast, believe that humanity is starting from an inferior position, a state of disorder, chaos and decay.

In an authoritarian interpretation of Eastern philosophy (including the Indian cast system and Daoist's "lost wisdom") some alchemical authors want to "better" the world or at least assist "higher forces" in doing so. They claim that a newborn infant ("man") starts from an inferior position and has yet to climb the ladder to wisdom and perfection.

Assuming inferiority in others often implies assuming a position of superiority for oneself --- which leads to self-proclaimed leadership: western texts stem from self-proclaimed prophets who, sometimes very explicitly, claim they are chosen to complete the path to perfection first (the path they suggest in their own writings) and to "deliver an imperative message from higher-ups".

There is also a sense of urgency and hope that the perceived chaotic state of the world will end if only humanity would listen. But unfortunately humanity is too stupid and therefore heading for disaster. It follows for these grandiose leaders that humanity needs rescuing from its own stupidity and the way to bring this about is prophecised in alchemical texts, i.e. the Rosecrucian "Chymische Hochzeit" (alchemical wedding), i.e. a fusion of opposites which cave in, unite and collapse in the process to be reborn again on a higher level.

Initiation (death), rebirth and ascension

In the Rosecrucian "Chymische Hochzeit" rebirth is not only described as a complex and obscure process, but

1. it is a one-way street to the top of a pyramid through various levels of initiations where man becomes god or god-like at the end (disidentification with humanity) and
2. it is described in a rather brutal and bloodthirsty fashion in what fits the archetypical black mass, including beheading of those opposites which must die to make way for resurrection, drinking of blood and later depiction of the scene as dream, "play", almost funny, in a cruel confusion of boundaries between fantasy and reality.

The role of human adepts is to help the higher-ups perform their work, while at the same time being initiated into the job: the killing is carried out not by higher-ups but by a servant (not an adept), briefly mentioned as black man ("Mohr") later to be killed himself (no mention by whom, but must be the surviving adepts or other serves). The resurrection is carried out not by gods either but by an adept ({), by "teasing the dead with laughter" who awaken "as if from a dream".

The crucial question is, if an adept may interfere in the process to "make it happen on purpose". In alchemy the answer is given implicitly: in all texts the result is brought about by the experimenter who has to find and collect the ingredients. If the only pathway to progress is a clash of opposing forces who cave in, when there are no opposing forces, conflict must be created and controlled (exclusion of a third force, limiting the field to a duopoly), as if collecting the necessary ingredients for ascension to the next level by making them "react". Lower ranking adepts may use this "knowledge" unconsciously at a smaller scale and higher ranking (wiser and wealthier) adepts consciously on a larger scale.

There is also the primitive aggressive identification: if the whole is comprised of white ("good") and black ("evil") parts, then someone has to play the role of "evil", somebody has to do the job. This notion may be compartmentalized first, but when pressured criminals admit to it.

A "world religion"

Helena P. Blavatsky (1831-91) is regarded as the most influential theoretician of the Thesophical Society and its dentritic subsequent operations, such as Steiner's antroposophy, ariosophy (theozoology), scientology, meditation sects, orders (neo-Nazy mystic, German order, OTO, Skull & Bones, etc.) and elite leadership training programs, but also wormed its way into grass roots movements by means of a rosy new era romanticism.

She teaches among other things: live is learning, we get better all the time, ascend from one developmental level, from one age to the next. At the end, the few who make it to the top will be gods, "rulers of the planets". That sounds nice. But what constitutes better? And who stands higher up on this ladder and why?

The power to define these matters is ascribed to those who already "stand upstairs". For the spiritual development takes place in a monotonically increasing fashion.

The result is a spiritual Ponzi scheme with guru(s) at the top, supported by an ultimate wisdom, unknown masters (freemasonry) who supposedly have contact to higher beings, or revelations by visions. To question these "truths" is taboo. Who nevertheless dares to do so, gets "re-educated", must ponder his own "deficits" (scientology) or stand in the corner for hours (as taught by Steiner). Blavatsky's root race teachings are a direct expression of this one-dimensional developmental idea.

Theosophy may enable reconciliation of contradictions between science, Darwinian theory of evolution and Christian orthodoxy by discovering "higher principles" inherent in all religions (in fact all human thinking), a claim found earlier in hermeticism and freemasonry. Social Darwinism and harmony go magically together - as long as nobody questions the higher-ups and their doctrine of superiority.

In Zeitgeist Addendum, a film which features theosophical teachings, the "good news" is that nature produces abundance. As a consequence (quite naturally) the bulk of this diversity is doomed to go under and perish - fostering "perfection" of "the whole" in the progress. The conclusion, however, is to tear down the old order (which is rotting anyway) and start all over with smart cities constructed by technocratic "wise guys" (so called Venus project, 2009,), the theosophical higher-ups or "masters".

Logo of the Theosophical Society with French motto: There is no religion higher than truth

In a self-destructing prophecy those who don't "understand" that this proposition reflects an ulterior "natural law" supposedly are stuck on an inferior developmental level themselves. To drive the claim of superiority home, theosophy considers itself to be the "highest stage" of all religions -- other religions merely present preliminary stages -- and equates this state of affairs with an exclusive right to interpret reality, a sacred science: "There is no religion higher than truth" is written in bold letters above the entrance to its headquarters. Theosophists do not search for the truth, they already have it.

Spiritual Ponzi scheme

A certain amount of secrecy, obfuscation and esoteric bloat in Blavatsky's writings seems not only to help preventing opposition, but also to avoid being ridiculed in the face of these blatantly grandiose, but ultimately simplistic and poor claims. There is also an aspect of deception: "Inferiors" are seduced to accept their "lot" by the promise to be rewarded (with power) later, playing on their greed (sort of spiritual credit system), making them even to accept loss and mockery to get entry, while keeping them in the dark about the fact, that by then the higher-ups and "masters" will have advanced even further.

Narcissistic or even psychopathic personalities may be drawn to such incentives and come to view the endeavor as a race to the top, where as in a Ponzi scheme, this possibly can not happen. The uppermost circle is always limited in number, either by limiting upward mobility or by creating new degrees at the top.

 

An example

Page name	Description
Scientism/Invisible College	Most respected scientists with a secret mission to influence government and make "science" an autocratic ideology or "world religion"

 

Related Quotation

Page	Quote	Author
Money/Creation	“Generally speaking the zero sum game promotes conflict. Conflicting parties need money to stand competition (in the extreme case: fight a war) in order to maintain their positive balance position. The only regulatory principle to limit the promotion of violence in all shapes and colors is the monetary monopoly's need to manage risk. Fatally, the risk taken by banks is distorted by the doctrine that the monetary monopoly as a whole may not fail. This so called Moral Hazard caused by public bailouts encourages investments in exploitation and war. What really trickles down is violence, not wealth.”	'Smithy'

 

Related Document

Title	Type	Publication date	Author(s)	Description
Document:The Occult Technology of Power	letter	June 1974	Anonymous	A letter and lecture transcripts addressed to a mature son from his father. Their purpose is to prepare the son for his taking the reins of a financial business empire.

Many thanks to our Patrons who cover ~2/3 of our hosting bill. Please join them if you can.

References

This is a page stub. Please add to it.