The Finding of the Third Eye

by Vera Stanley Alder

During her successful career as a portrait painter, the author began to investigate the Ancient Wisdom, and this revolutionized her life. She made it her task to simplify and summarize this knowledge in order to present it to others. She offers a guide to attainment through the path outlined by Ancient Wisdom which she summarizes in relation to man, comparing it with the discoveries of modern science. She surveys the philosophies of breathing, color, sounds, numbers, diet and exercsie. Finally she discusses the functions of the Third Eye, Astrology, Meditation, and thier ultimate aims.

Genres: Spirituality, Philosophy, Psychology, Nonfiction

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Vera Dorothea Stanley Alder, sometimes published as V.S. Alder, was a mystic and founder of the World Guardian Fellowship.

Reviews

[Rhonda Browning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book about ancient wisdom and its expression (good and bad) through a variety of religions. The text centers mostly around what would now be called Spiritualism or New Age Religion (hard to pigeon-hole these practices into a descriptive group).

I especially found it interesting how much of this text pertains to today's world, considering it was written in 1938. Alder's insight was phenomenal, perhaps proving her claims that we know more than we realize about past, present and future, if only we would listen to our God-given instinct.

Recommended to anyone interested in "alternative" religions, introspection, or those who've enjoyed such books as "The Secret" and "Law of Attraction" texts.

[Shannette Slaughter · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites. If you are seeking enlightenment and methods that can be used to grow this is a great find

[Jinaki · Rating 5 out of 5]

best book for metaphysicians.

[Caryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are lots of mystical things people talk about and on the surface they have always seemed rubbish to me. This book opened up my mind to everything, backing up the mystical with science. It really has me pondering and I think that’s the purpose of this book.

It is Christian themed, I knew this going in. The books I have read in the past have referred to Christ as a powerful conscience being and that his goal was to teach others how to stop being a slave to the mind. I wanted to know more because growing up in the states the name of Christ is used to enslave people by implanting seeds of fear, demanding they follow a set of rules, taking some of their income, causing guilt, encouraging judgmental behavior and so on. This is nothing like Christ’s teachings (freeing yourself from fear, guilt, judgments, materialistic, lust, jealousy, anger)….the truth is accessible to everyone, in fact they contain it in their very being. This book doesn't push anything on you, in fact it was beautiful when she brought up Christ, I did not feel violated because she was talking about something I don’t necessarily believe in.

I just loved it. It went into depth into everything (society as a whole, science, the mystical, how to better yourself and shed the chains).

[Andree Verdin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Therefore, although the highest vibrations are the most powerful, we cannot get in touch with them within ourselves when our bodies are a mass of struggling, fighting inharmonious vibrations, as is usually the case. p 35

Man is an animal, but he is an animal embodying a god. p 38

Fire can burn up anything of lower vibration than itself. The mind can control fire, being of higher vibration. There are many authentic cases of people who can contact fire without being burnt and can be pierced by knives without shedding blood. p 54

The tiniest cell in our bodies is an electric battery in a state of combustion; just as our whole body is also electrically polarized. p 75

To try and attain mental expansion while still the victim of inhibitions and repressions is like expecting to become a ballet-dancer while still refusing to use certain limbs or muscles. p 79

A drunken woman is more terrible than a drunken man. p 80

So we are told that at night the astral realms are peopled with sleepers surrounded by their 'dreams' or creations, which are sometimes ludicrous in the incompleteness of their conception. p 87

It is quite impossible to become excited if one breathes slowly. p 93

A human being also radiates subtle emanations of everything of which he is composed. A clairvoyant is able to see colours of these rays at a certain angle, and speaks of them as the person's 'aura.' p 98

If a person is able to discover his own key-note or chord and to play it over gently to himself he will revive as if by magic. p107

We have not been given the wealth of beauty and wonder which surrounds us on all sides merely to ignore it. We have not been given bodies capable of a hundred enjoyments merely to deny them. p117

The muted violin represents the soul's message trying to filter through. To hear the soul's message all the rest of the orchestra must be silenced. p 150

Black magic is simply the use of the developed mind-power for a wrong purpose. It exists in ratio to the strength of will and intelligence of the person using it and the lack of such in the victim or victims. p 173

There is no Black Magic, however powerful, no evil force nor astral horror which can have the slightest effect upon anyone who does not contain a strain of the same vibration in their own make-up. One who is completely honest and whole-heartedly trusts in the power of good is an untouchable as far as evil influences are concerned. 'According to thy faith be it done unto thee.' p 177

[Richard Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found myself really enjoying this book despite initially thinking it would be too dated to be relevant to modern audiences. In truth, it really hit the spot in places and made me realise that certain 'new age' concepts aren't quite as new as I thought.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Outdated and limited new theosophical work.

May be of value for early beginners interested in spiritual work related to the Ancient Wisdom ("spiritualism", "New Age") but who know they don't want the structure of a Hermetic Order, and who will not pursue Cermeonial Magic. Could be of value to people developping their own spiritual systems. Of special interest to people involved in observing historical perspectives of spirituality, or of influential women in spirituality and occultism.

I bought Alder's "The Finding of the Third Eye" impulsively at a Chicago used bookstore. It was published by Weiser, so I thought, "why not?" I'm reviewing it as part of my big book purge of 2020 (I'm moving in with my boyfriend and having a baby in a few weeks, so it's time to whittle things down.)

Alder here tries to write a concise book to help the seeker get started and she succeeds very well for a 1938 audience. This was her first book. Wikipedia tells me that she developped quite a following, including Elvis!

I often recognised principles of theosophy and H.P. Blavatsky, such as the discussion of the body in the chapter "How We Are Made". Annie Besant's "The Seven Principles of Man" delves deeper into the subject, and is on my list of works I do recommend. This chapter doesn't compare, but has an important place in preparing the reader for the principles and recomendations in the rest of the book.

I should say that Blavatsky is very long to read and requires a lot of discernment, and I don't always agree with the way her students interpreted, commented on, and propogated those teaching.

The "How We Are Classified" chapter delves into material I recognise from Isis Unveiled, I think? It broadly covers astrological sun signs. Not helpful for today's reader who had access to the internet.

This book didn't impress me off the bat - I've had the luxury of access to a lot of material. Ultimately, the book is a bit verbose, while also being too general for today's reader, I think. My reaction also makes me critical of myself - maybe instead of myself writing articles about occultism and adding to the mass of information available, I would be more useful in curating "collections" or recommandations.

I know very little about female occultists but many mystic artists women seem to be coming to my attention. I will keep this book as a reminder to start a project about female mystics. My critisisms of the New Age movement shift a bit when I see how it in some ways was a space for women to have power and agency... I'll develop on these ideas in the future.

(This review was drafted in approx. June 2020)

[Briana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book in my parents' house, so I decided to give it a read.

It's surprisingly relevant for a book that was first published in 1938, and it is a great book for beginners and those who are new to esoteric knowledge. It does a good job of giving an overview and baseline definitions for a variety of topics such as vibrations, chakras, and meditation.

It gave me a nice refresher, and I highly recommend this book for beginners. However, for those who are advanced students, this may be a bit basic.

Here are some quotes that I highlighted:

- "Truth can only be understood by one in a state of attention."

- "The difference between one object and another is ultimately a question of rate of vibration."

- "... 'thoughts are things'! We know that each thought has its definite vibration."

- "The mind has power over everything that it can understand and visualize."

- "It asserts that the little things are a mirror of the larger ones, and everything is not only a replica but intimately connected with everything else."

[Gror Healing · Rating 5 out of 5]

never more relevant than today. a synthesis of ancient wisdom traditions that draw on numerous sources and provide an overview of the knowledge we have lost touch with. realises the distance we have come from our own connection to different ideas as to our origins and the stark dichotomies presented to us by the prevailing paradigms.

[gee trushaden · Rating 2 out of 5]

interesting but dated: suggets homosexuality should not be “indulged in”, and suggests illness happens because the person has an “unclean & unkempt” mind
and that natives or gypsies have “flat” voices compared to advanced people’s resonant voices

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is crazy! I enjoyed reading this woman's ideas while in the tub. She has some wild ones...

[Jim Losby]

via Jon Anderson interview in recent Mojo

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first thought this book to be an obscure occult, too old to be of importance. Was totally wrong about that. Learned many new things herein. If you're into the sort of "inner journey" or a yogi, or whatever yourself may call it. Wisdom of the Egyptians!

[Denise Cardaman]

bla bla bla

[Ametis · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have not read this book, you are wasting reading any of the others Spirituality/ Self discovery books, written in 1945 and as we fast approach 2013 its still ahead of its time

[Charles Baudelaire · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting. Fun

[Gerald Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful when I was 21 and searching for something x