ON THIS DAY IN OCCULT HISTORY
Exactly
one hundred years ago today, a 25-year-old Canadian mystic and
philosopher named Manly P. Hall sat down to begin what
would become one of the most ambitious metaphysical books ever written. He
called it The Secret Teachings of All Ages—and it would go on to become
a cornerstone of modern esotericism.
For Hall, beginning this project on New Year’s Day wasn’t just symbolic—it was ceremonial. He believed in the power of beginnings, in anchoring great works to sacred time. With the new year came a new era of synthesis, illumination, and purpose. From that moment forward, Hall dedicated himself to assembling the single, unified guide to the world's arcane wisdom that he'd been planning throughout his recent tour of Europe—blending ancient philosophy, alchemy, astrology, secret societies, Hermeticism, and more into one beautifully illustrated volume.
The Book That Changed Occult History
First
published in 1928 as a limited-edition folio (with over 50 full-color plates), The
Secret Teachings of All Ages is often called the "Rosetta Stone of
esoteric philosophy". It doesn’t just outline the symbols and teachings of
the mysteries—it invites the reader to awaken, to seek, and to see the hidden
threads connecting all wisdom traditions across time. And, as a display of the prophetic style in which Hall himself saw the new era of shared information and sacred knowledge, he self-published the book using a subscription-based form of early "crowdfunding"
According to Hall's biographer, Mitch Horowitz, "...What was extraordinary and what was really mysterious is that there was only a span of six years between the publication of [Hall's first book] Initiates of the Flame and The Secret Teachings of All Ages, which came out when he was 27 ... Manly spent hour after hour in the reading room of the New York Public Library and he later remarked that he had no problem checking out the rarest books in their collection, because no one else seemed interested in them. Librarians got to know him as this strange long-haired kid who would come in and request books on Pythagorean mathematics, Egyptian symbolism, sacred geometry, things that few visitors were requesting at the time."
Hall’s encyclopedic knowledge, spiritual sincerity, and poetic clarity made the massive book a rite of passage for generations of diverse readers: scholars, artists, spiritual seekers, and even heads of state (both Elvis Presley and President Ronald Reagan were among Hall's lifelong friends and admirers) all counted it among their bookshelves.
Why This Day Matters—100 Years Later
Here at Modern Occultist, we’re kicking off our own journey today—January 1st, 2026—exactly one hundred years from the day Hall began his own.
And we’re doing it for the same reason he did: we believe the wisdom of the past still matters, and that all seekers of it deserve a place to find one another. We're honored to light our own small candle from Hall's flame.
Want to Start Reading?
If you’ve
never read The Secret Teachings of All Ages, or if it’s been sitting on
your shelf waiting for a sign—this is it.
Whether you pick up the full folio or a modern paperback "reader's" edition, the text is
timeless. You’ll find Hermetic wisdom, mystical geometry, Rosicrucian secrets,
astrological symbolism, Egyptian initiation rites—and an entire worldview based
on unity, mystery, and wonder.
(Every day, Modern Occultist News will present "This Day in Occult History" and will dive into the birthdays, rituals, breakthroughs, and crucial moments that shaped today's many esoteric traditions. From the Hermetic revival to Witchcraft, from Crowley to cyberspace, we'll bring the best stories and latest trends to today's own modern occultists everywhere.)
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