As universal education became the norm within Europe and America, the demand for reading material increased and printing prospered. By the end of the 19th century, radio was made available, followed by television in 1950. The information explosion increased exponentially and education flourished. The introduction of personal computers in the 1980 and the growth of the world-wide-web has created immense data bases holding untold facts which can be used for educational purposes. At no prior time, have so many tools been available for influencing the development of mankind–for better or worse.

Therefore, for the next few weeks or months, we will be given the opportunity to study the history and Teachings of the Great School so to gather just a hint of understanding concerning the immensity of the Great Work of Conscious Humanity so to answer onto the inner calling of those seekers ready for contacting a worldly school suitable for guiding their first tenuous steps onto the Path of Conscious Evolution. To avoid unnecessary confusion, additional information, beyond that conveyed in our introduction to this series of lectures, will be through a question and answer format.

Question 1: When I look around, I observe a plethora of different religions, philosophies, metaphysical schools and persons claiming to be legitimate Teachers and Guides to ‘treading the Ancient and Sure Path’. Why?

Answer 1: There are a number of reasons why the mundane world contains so many different religions, teachings and philosophies–many subscribing too opposite viewpoints as to God and Creation. Firstly, archaeological and anthropological studies demonstrate that a religious belief systems, most likely animism, appeared within our Cro Magnon ancestors after migrating from Africa into the Middle East and Europe. Funerary goods, including flowers, food and weapons, have been found in conjunction with Cro Magnon (and maybe Neanderthal) burial sites dating to 50,000 years ago. Cave art suggestive of hunting and fertility rituals has been found in France and other areas originating from 12,000 to 34,000 years ago. In addition to artefactual evidence, all early cultures (including modern hunter-gatherers) seem to have had access to and utilized vast, complex and imaginative creation mythologies so to provide explanations for natural events, the existence of dreams, insanity, cultural goals, illness and the transience of human existence. These early attempts to understand life and human purposes demonstrate that deep within the human psyche is the need to ask questions and explore answers.

Secondly, many persons throughout the ages, still fettered to egotism and the false personality or self, have convinced themselves, without proper study nor contact with the Great School, that they are special agents from God–agents unto whom the ‘Final Truths’ have been revealed as to mankind’s place in the universe and his relation to the Godhead defined by the prophet involved. Many of the religions created by mankind have been born from such endeavors. Although such religions have little to do with conscious evolution, they often do contain tidbits of esoteric knowledge, usually added surreptitiously by students of legitimate exoteric schools so to help encourage the general followers to implement precepts for right living.

Thirdly, in ancient times, functioning exoteric schools, such as those of dynastic Egypt and India, sent forth into the world students having completed their training with instructions to establish new schools suitable for the cultural tastes and backgrounds of the indigenous persons. Usually, these students’ teachers are chosen from persons attending the mystery schools who originally came from the geocultural areas of interest.

Fourthly, in order to assure the survival of mankind from one age to another; and hence, sources from which to attract additional persons who can be readied to receive the Great Light, incarnating Initiates are actively involved in all aspects of mankind’s cultural existence. They often encourage the formation of new exoteric schools, mystical organizations and philosophical schools appealing to and attracting many potential students.