by George Oliver (Author)
Originally published in 1841, The History of Initiation contains twelve lectures that detail the rites, ceremonies, doctrines and disciplines of all the Secret and Mysterious Institutions of the Ancient World. Each lecture is full of extensive and elaborate footnotes, providing a wealth of additional information. Among the topics are: Enoch, Osiris, Typhon, and the Essenes; Initiation in India - Including the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer, Vedas (Bhagavad Gita), Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva; Philosophy of the Eastern Mysteries; Initiation in Persia - Zoroaster, Mithras, the 7 Stages of Initiation; Initiation in Greece - the Mystery Schools, Dionysius, Bacchus, the Pythagoreans, Hermes Trismigestus; Initiation into the Mysteries of Bacchus; the Celtic Mysteries - Druids, Hyperboreans; Initiation in Britain - Ceridwen; Symbols and Doctrines of the Druids; Initiation into the Gothic Mysteries; Doctrines and Morality; and Initiation in Central and South America including Mexico.