What is the Esoteric?-Acc - The Esoteric Sciences

Introduction

The Esoteric Science is derived from the ancient knowledge, and goes back in its origin to the very beginning of human existence. Its main concern is the whole being of man, its more specific field is the hidden and invisible constituents of the human being — not to shed light on them, but to put them into practice, so that man realizes their existence. Since man is regarded as the pivot and the starting point, it is therefore imperative that he attains self-knowledge. Thus the Esoteric Science proceeds from the knowledge of the self (which is attained through a practical and systematic application of an inward process) and expands to include all knowledge. This means that each of the human sciences, be it physical or mental, psychological or spiritual, is in fact an integral part of the Esoteric Science.
The Esoteric Science is, therefore, an inner path that goes through the objective consciousness, penetrates the innermost recesses of the self (the subconscious and the unconscious) to reach the True Self and discover the latent Truth which is the source of everything. It is not theory, or after theoretical knowledge, but is an inward process which leads to knowledge through practical and personal experience. This cannot be stressed further as it is one of the most basic principles of this distinctive applicable science.
Self-knowledge will lead man to self-realization, and will, gradually, teach him how to gain a deeper and more extensive comprehension of all the mundane sciences — in as much as he expands and deepens the knowledge of himself.
It is the aim of the Esoteric Science to conduct every human being to the consciousness of the True Self within, and to the discovery of his Reality. The process makes him aware of his dormant energies gradually.
When this is achieved, the Esoteric Science will have fulfilled its mission which is consciousness in evolution and evolution in consciousness. Thus man becomes a master or a super human being.

Why The Esoteric

In the distant past, the Esoteric Science or the science of the inner self, was the only concern of man; since self-knowledge was the sole knowledge he yearned for and worked hard to attain. Man became aware of this yearning to know the secrets of the self ever since he became self-conscious. The intensity of feeling would wax or wane depending on the culture and civilization of the particular period. Yet, the nature of that feeling never changed, and the yearning never abandoned the human soul.
Man, in that distant past, had the intuitive or spontaneous realization that through the knowledge of the self he would gain knowledge of nature and the universe, and eventually of his Creator. Nevertheless, man in general did not keep to that path of inner development long; he deviated gradually by dint of adverse conditions, or because of clinging to the material world… and he lost the opportunity to attain self-knowledge, the loftiest and most comprehensive knowledge which joins the knowledge of Matter and Spirit as one.
Realizing his inability to know himself, due to giving up the right humane path, man started to seek knowledge outside himself. He sought the knowledge which his senses would procure. He turned to the study of nature and matter, of stars, planets and space. This marked the outset of straying from the right path which had nearly conducted him to the objective of his existence. Man’s consequent indulgence in materialistic desires and physical lusts only served to imprison his mind and to keep it from proceeding towards the depths of his being.
Despite his absorption with material knowledge, man kept feeling the necessity of knowing himself, and the importance of delving into the unknown secrets of his being. He knew that no mundane science could fathom the depth of his self… and that everything orbited around himself. Yet, man himself was far off from understanding himself. He was preoccupied with understanding matter, and the composition of matter… until he got himself caught in its fake appearances, and submitted to its shackles and temptations… assuming that knowledge of matter is the one and true knowledge!

Historic Background

The Esoteric Science spread first in the Far East where all the sacred manuscripts had been kept by the successors of the great sages. There, the “Great White Brotherhood” was founded as the first brotherhood on Earth. Anyone who aspired to acquire the knowledge of man in all its branches had to gradually rise in knowledge, experience and self-development until he ended up in there, in the Far East. After studying and “graduating” from the “Mother University” mentioned above, he would have to follow in the steps of his teachers, and it would be his duty to go forth into the world to enlighten his fellowmen and guide them to the Path of Truth, the Path which comprises Matter and Spirit, for the purpose is to make man whole in the knowledge of himself and all around him.
In this manner the Esoteric Science started to spread beyond the frontiers of the Far East, in the old times. Yet, wherever it reached, it remained secret and inaccessible except to the true disciples whose goal was Humane Perfectness and the return to the Creator. This could be achieved only in accordance with the Divine Plan which had predetermined the Return Path.
Because of the then prevailing political conditions, the Esoteric Science spread in all parts of the world in disguised forms. In the Middle East, it appeared in the form of spiritual and divine teachings (religions). In the Near East, through physiognomy, telepathy and mysterious mental powers. In Greece as philosophy, numerology and architecture. In ancient Egypt through the secret of immortality, the mysteries of construction and through “magic” or the control of natural forces (elementals). In Mesopotamia through astronomy, astrology and the mysteries of space. In some European countries, the Esoteric Science appeared through psychology and semantics. It also appeared in the American Continent through controlling the natural elements and the animals. All those branches of knowledge were only masks behind which was hidden the true face of the Esoteric vast scientific knowledge… whether man realized it or not!
Nevertheless, the real science of the inner man was not taken outside its original abode except in complete secrecy and never came out into the open except with the dawning of the twentieth century.

The Esoteric Sources

Halfway through the twentieth century, the great wise Masters of the “Great White Brotherhood” decided that it was time to openly spread the Esoteric Science with the help of individuals who were devoted to this sacred task. The teachers or disciples who wished to introduce the Esoteric Science to others, must have had personally walked along this Inner Path of consciousness and development before extending their knowledge and the fruit of their experience to others. To acquire and to give only theoretical knowledge was prohibited. The Esoteric Science depends entirely on practical application and on the personal experiences acquired along this Path of Self-Knowledge which is no other than the Destiny of Man!
The decision of the Masters was carried out with the start of the second half of the twentieth century. Books, pamphlets and articles were to be seen in great numbers, bringing out into the open the pure Esoteric Science which had, hitherto, been concealed from the public.
Thus, the Esoteric Science started to come out into the daylight drawing not only on sacred ancient sources (manuscripts), but also on the experiences and lives of the great Masters of Knowledge, and on the experience of everyone who walked along the same sacred path.

The Esoteric Objective

Based on the previous chapters, we can detect that the Esoteric Science’s supreme aim is none other than the enlightenment and the development of man. Its motivating force is the love of man for his fellow-men; its purpose is carrying out the Divine Plan. When Earth will have completed its mission, man who has not reached to the wholeness of consciousness will be transferred to a new planet to receive intensive instructions in self-knowledge. The manner of that future instruction will be different. It will be strict… as man will not have the freedom of choice (free will) he has here and now! The study of the Esoteric Science will thus be obligatory; and because he misused his free will, no wonder if his life will be fraught with pain and suffering.
The aim of the Esoteric Science is, again and again, conducting man to self-consciousness, which is the real knowledge of the Truth of everything.
Obviously, this is why the Esoteric Science has persevered and continued to develop and to spread. It has permeated every field and sector from the atom as the smallest entity, to the cosmos as the largest… and will continue to spread until man attains the full knowledge of the self. (self-realization)
Then, and only then, the Esoteric Science will have served its purpose and fulfilled its mission — Consciousness in Evolution and Evolution in Consciousness!

The Esoteric Method

“The best and the most important science of all is that which can be applied practically, and which, through this practical application, will lead man to development. There is no use for any science or philosophy which is based only on theories, and does not, through application, further the inner development of man”. This is an old saying attributed to one of the sages of old. It sums up the Esoteric method which is based on practical application or, precisely, is the practical application of the principles and the knowledge that lead man to self development and expansion of consciousness.
Although the Esoteric method is based on general Laws and principles, it is optional and not restricted or narrowly defined. The individual can draw the plan he wants and follow the method he chooses. The only requirement is that he adheres to the basic principles and laws of the Esoteric Path. These can be summed up in three words:
LOVE, CONSCIOUSNESS, APPLICATION
If we are to analyze or rather dissect these three principles, we shall discover that they branch out and are integrated to encompass everything in human life. Through them man is perfected, or becomes whole.
In as much as he applies these teachings, his consciousness will unfold and expand. The Esoteric method is a practical and applicable way of life (modus operandi); it is wholesome and complete.

Benefits Of The Esoteric’s Practical Application

The Esoteric Science is not general information; it is not a theoretical philosophy that may be read or studied then discarded at will. It is a way of life that leads the aspirant towards full awareness and development, towards higher intelligence and the discovery of the mental dimensions… in addition to the unlocking of inner powers.
Practical application of knowledge will serve to develop the consciousness of the student. This means opening up to the new expanding consciousness and exercising the intellect to analyse, discriminate and draw conclusions. It will awaken and exercise man’s inner faculties and make him work in an organized and disciplined way which is time-saving. These and other benefits are to be discovered by the student who adopts the “Esoteric Path” in practical living.

The Esoteric Versus Parapsychology

Parapsychology and the Esoteric are not related to each other as is sometimes held. They may have certain common grounds, but in many respects they are quite different.
Parapsychology is only an attempt on the part of some psychologists to go beyond the self of man, to shed light on the mysterious unknown powers within.
Parapsychology is a lop-sided science; it concerns itself with only a part of the humane dimension and does not even cover that part fully. It does not know yet how the psychic powers function in man. It merely acknowledges their manifestation.
The Esoteric Science is a comprehensive science; it starts from the humane dimension (after covering the physical) and proceeds toward the spiritual. Evolution in consciousness is the aim of the Esoteric man who is constantly seeking a more developed life.
The thoughtful human being will easily distinguish the differences between the Esoteric and parapsychology even before he experiences the “Esoteric Path”.

The Esoteric And Metaphysics

In the distant past there were no specialized fields of knowledge; physics, chemistry, psychology, medicine, atomic sciences, astronomy etc… etc… did not exist in their present independent forms. The curriculum of the ancient schools did not allow for studying medicine, for example, without architecture or astronomy aside from the science of health vibrations. They taught the “Science of man” (the Esoteric), a unified science which included the knowledge of all sciences!
With time the physical sciences gained momentum, and the metaphysical were pushed into the background. This retarded the development of consciousness, and man lost track of the perfect path. As a result, most of men’s brain cells sank into sleep or stopped functioning, that is, they became unconscious… and the passage ways to deeper consciousness were thus blocked.
Consequently, the capacity of the human being to grasp and comprehend the ancient Science of Man (as a whole) was greatly impoverished. To help him out, a new method was introduced. Man was to study one or two different sciences each time he reincarnated. In this way his consciousness would eventually unfold leading him step by step and preparing him to comprehend the (whole) “Science of Man”. Only then would all his brain cells unfold… and man would become whole, or one mass of active consciousness — as the Esoteric aspires mankind to be.

The Esoteric Versus Other Societies And Schools Of Inner Or Occult Knowledge

The destiny of man is the conscious return to his Creator. The path of this return was drawn from the beginning of human life on Earth.
To help man on his way back, the laws and rules of this return were inscribed in his subconscious (as the voice of conscience). Some heeded those inner impulses while others turned a deaf ear. The Masters of Knowledge realized that man had lost contact with his subconscious, thus decided to compile all the laws and principles of the return path in special manuscripts and to establish a private institution of learning… to teach, or more accurately, to remind man of the principles of life that govern the return path to his source.
The “Great White Brotherhood” was founded and was the first of its kind on Earth. It “graduated” great teachers and pioneers who went into the world and started other schools under different names and of different levels. Their principles and rules were the same as those of the “Mother Institution”. Their aim was to promote physical and metaphysical knowledge and enlighten the inner self of each aspirant in accordance with individual levels of consciousness.
At first the results were excellent, but with the absence of the founders, those schools and societies started to go off course. With time, the deviation became more serious… and most of the schools ended up as a distorted picture of the original – false and sometimes quite contradictory (like most occult schools of the present). Contact with the “Mother Institution” was consequently severed.
As the consciousness of man sank lower and lower, and as those allegedly connected with the “Great White Brotherhood” became increasingly governed by selfish interests, the Masters decided that it was time to put man back on the correct course.
A plan was designed, its purpose was to bring all the schools, orders and societies of inner knowledge back to the bosom of the “Great White Brotherhood”. It would also make of every aspirant a member of the Brotherhood through the Esoteric Path which was its original method.
It is not that the Esoteric seeks to enter or control these societies, rather to contain them and to reform their course as its ultimate aim is conducting every man to the Truth of Self-Knowledge and self-realization.

The Esoteric and Self Knowledge

“Self-knowledge is the mother of all knowledge” is an old saying. It is at the base of Greek philosophical thought. The Esoteric goes further in stressing the practical application of self-knowledge. The perfectness of humane consciousness is the stage reached through self-knowledge; whereas the stage of union with the divine, the stage of pure (perfect) consciousness (supra-consciousness) is only attained through the application of self-knowledge and the attainment of cosmic knowledge.
Self-knowledge is the duty of man because he is the pivot and the starting point; cosmic knowledge is also essential because man is part of the universe. Yet, cosmic knowledge is only possible through self-knowledge for man himself is the center of all things.
Self-knowledge has always been the dream of philosophers, scientists, great men and the medical body; yet, only those who applied the Esoteric and trod the Path of Consciousness and inner evolution, did in fact attain true and complete self-knowledge.
Self here includes the Soul, that divine spark in man which is either unknown to or ignored by the majority of mankind. It is the real force that moves the human being. It is the real man.

The Esoteric As Cosmic Thought Wisdom-Incarnate

The Esoteric Science has always been the broadest and most comprehensive wisdom-science. It is the only science that has accompanied man since he first became conscious of himself.
It is a truth which is experienced by advanced students that this science is being taught not only on Earth but on all cosmic planes… because it is the way to the wisdom of truth!
Wherever man is, on Earth or beyond, incarnate or discarnate, this science is his to learn. It is the most divine since it is the science of the core and not the crust, the science of the essence and not the manifestation — the science of wisdom!
It is the only science taught on all the metaphysical planes of existence. It is applicable on those planes because it is the science of the invisible constituents of man’s consciousness. The evolution of the consciousness of these invisible constituents is the aim of man on the planet Earth!
The path of destiny extends through times and universes; it starts within man and expands and rises to the highest planes – the metaphysical worlds – where the soul of man is at home, limitless and infinite. Wherever man is, the path of destiny extends, and along this path man learns this inner (Esoteric) science; he proceeds onward and onward since the goal is to reach the wisdom of pure knowledge which is beyond all knowledge.
The Sages and Great Masters of Wisdom are all over the Earth and beyond the Earth, enlightening man with the knowledge that brings him closer to himself, and to the path he should take to reach the goal.

The Future of the Esoteric

It is not an exaggeration to confirm that the Esoteric Science will enfold all the sciences under its wing. The signs of this future are gradually manifesting; these can be easily read in medicine and in psychology, in architecture and in the mathematical sciences, in the historical and geographical sciences as well as in every other science on Earth.
The objective of the Esoteric Science is not to make all sciences esoterical; the goal of the future is to have one and only one science which contains within itself all the sciences. This can only be the Esoteric Science, for it is the comprehensive science of man.
In the near future, as we have mentioned above, the Esoteric Science will be detected in all fields — scientific and otherwise, working from within those sciences, regulating them and revealing their hidden reality.
In the distant future, the Esoteric Science will have contained all sciences, and will be the science on the curriculum of schools and universities, not only because it is the science of man, but also because it is the science of the universe through man.
We already see that man today seeks to reveal the hidden, more so than before. It looks as though man is fed up with the present… and tired of the density of matter which hinders him from soaring higher in the space of the reality within!
Here comes the Esoteric Science to give the answers, for he who seeks must be given. The Esoteric Science will unveil the Truth wisely and that which in the past was the right of the elect few is to be now for all.
May the Divine Providence bless and guide those who
consciously seek the TRUTH OF MAN!