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EL INICIADO
EL INICIADO (2ª ED.)
Paperback
First published June 1, 1981
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
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December 11, 20231920s occult novel of the 'wimbly nonsense' variety rather than the 'demons eat your soul' type, which is a shame. The author's primary concern is pushing the thesis that men ought to be really chill about their wives fucking other men. I cannot overstate quite how much of the book is him pushing this argument, repeatedly, from various angles. Anything you need to tell us, Cyril.
In many respects this is surprisingly likeable. The hero's efforts to spiritually reform a prostitute are coupled with him *giving her money to support her family* rather than just nagging about morals, it repeatedly specifies there's nothing wrong with extramarital sex, and there's even a sequence with a gay character that is a lot less awful than you might think in the context of 1920s occult believers. (There was a *lot* of homophobia, see the horrible Dion Fortune, whereas Scott is weird AF about gender but not hateful.) Masses of gender essentialism but whatevs.
The second half of the book is entirely taken up by a really, really bad fable about enlightenment and spiritual journeys in a cod medieval style, avoid.
In many respects this is surprisingly likeable. The hero's efforts to spiritually reform a prostitute are coupled with him *giving her money to support her family* rather than just nagging about morals, it repeatedly specifies there's nothing wrong with extramarital sex, and there's even a sequence with a gay character that is a lot less awful than you might think in the context of 1920s occult believers. (There was a *lot* of homophobia, see the horrible Dion Fortune, whereas Scott is weird AF about gender but not hateful.) Masses of gender essentialism but whatevs.
The second half of the book is entirely taken up by a really, really bad fable about enlightenment and spiritual journeys in a cod medieval style, avoid.
October 23, 2008
One of the best books I have ever read! I learned that things aren't as they seem. Be open to a new way of thinking. If you are not then skip this book. If you are then I hope you find it. It only comes to those that are seeking. Enjoy this classic..
May 4, 2020
Woah... id I could only read one book ever again, this is it.
I remember reading the Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and wishing I could find a book that had the same amazing level of vocabulary and ability to articulate, except instead of portraying hedonism, it taught profound lessons relating to the nature of reality and mysticism.
A few months later this made its way into my bedroom.
Cheers Universe.
"O Seeker! only the very beginning of knowledge ae to be culled from the pages of books... For know that true knowledge is alone to be found in your own soul, and the way to your soul is through the passage of the heart, from which all darkness must be banished by the light of your selfishness."
"Hating evil is a form of evil itself"
"Know that the vices and weaknesses of mankind are nothing but childishness in disguise, and that only the glamour cast upon them by the ignorance of folly and conventionality causes them to be endowed with a fictitious dignity which is no dignity at all."
"This appears to be another tendency during occult development, viz; the birth of a deep passion for a high type of soul" - reminiscent of 08/2019...
I remember reading the Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and wishing I could find a book that had the same amazing level of vocabulary and ability to articulate, except instead of portraying hedonism, it taught profound lessons relating to the nature of reality and mysticism.
A few months later this made its way into my bedroom.
Cheers Universe.
"O Seeker! only the very beginning of knowledge ae to be culled from the pages of books... For know that true knowledge is alone to be found in your own soul, and the way to your soul is through the passage of the heart, from which all darkness must be banished by the light of your selfishness."
"Hating evil is a form of evil itself"
"Know that the vices and weaknesses of mankind are nothing but childishness in disguise, and that only the glamour cast upon them by the ignorance of folly and conventionality causes them to be endowed with a fictitious dignity which is no dignity at all."
"This appears to be another tendency during occult development, viz; the birth of a deep passion for a high type of soul" - reminiscent of 08/2019...
March 8, 2014
Written in an old-fashioned manner the story of the Initiate Justin Moreward Haig is told in many short episodes to aid the readers on their spiritual path. Although many of the spiritual explanations were quite enlightening, full of wisdom and have an unlimited validity in every age I found many of the described problems the Initiate was called to help not quite fitting in our present time anymore (the book was written around 1930). The book shows that Masters have not always to be well-known people most of them live undiscovered among us. It´s worth reading but I think I will have to reread this book many times to comprehend all the spiritual teachings the Initiate gave there...
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January 14, 20121977 printing
January 8, 2025
And so the moral is : Into everything whatsoever it be, bring purity and love, which is the secret of health and harmony of the body as well as of the soul.
“A lovingly heart makes a youthful body.”
“The only real sin in life, is ignorance.”
“Mrs Darnely, poor creature, is a coward by reason of her sanity; her one fear in life is what others will think. She does not live in the great world of love, but in a prison.”
To expound the mysteries of his occult science, the question arose as to the possibility of reading other people’s thoughts.
Well, it all happened when this student was undergoing the process known as “waking up”, that is to say, his latent psychic faculties were beginning to come into manifestation, but he had so far not learn how to exercise proper control over them.
If a cat meows in a room, take the cat out of the room, but do’t curse the cat - it is the nature of cays to meow; it is the nature of some human beings to be ungrateful.
Let a person but identify his mind with the happiness that is within, and nothing on earth can either annoy or cause him sorrow.
Inside the body are certain latent forces: wake the up through purely physiological processes known to Yogis, and you alter your entire consciousness; begin to see things, hear things, and perceive things that are around you, but of which you were hitherto quite unaware.
Life is too serious to take seriously. Life is so dull, one has to stick the fun into it oneself.
To cure an evil, one must forgive it.
“And now know that that goose is none other than a parallel of the mind and mankind deluded by ignorance and pestered by fears which are purely imaginary and relative, having no substance in actual fact.”
“A lovingly heart makes a youthful body.”
“The only real sin in life, is ignorance.”
“Mrs Darnely, poor creature, is a coward by reason of her sanity; her one fear in life is what others will think. She does not live in the great world of love, but in a prison.”
To expound the mysteries of his occult science, the question arose as to the possibility of reading other people’s thoughts.
Well, it all happened when this student was undergoing the process known as “waking up”, that is to say, his latent psychic faculties were beginning to come into manifestation, but he had so far not learn how to exercise proper control over them.
If a cat meows in a room, take the cat out of the room, but do’t curse the cat - it is the nature of cays to meow; it is the nature of some human beings to be ungrateful.
Let a person but identify his mind with the happiness that is within, and nothing on earth can either annoy or cause him sorrow.
Inside the body are certain latent forces: wake the up through purely physiological processes known to Yogis, and you alter your entire consciousness; begin to see things, hear things, and perceive things that are around you, but of which you were hitherto quite unaware.
Life is too serious to take seriously. Life is so dull, one has to stick the fun into it oneself.
To cure an evil, one must forgive it.
“And now know that that goose is none other than a parallel of the mind and mankind deluded by ignorance and pestered by fears which are purely imaginary and relative, having no substance in actual fact.”
December 3, 2020
Upon my knowledgeable entry into that of occult philosophy, the book spoke volumes in an effort to make the aspirant aware of the path to discovering the natural world and that of divine wisdom. One might even say a road map of sorts to those who cannot help but be transfixed by the intuitive-ingenious simplicity of design. The book raised the emotional-spiritual mindset. I think it a great book for many other reasons. Reasons some might say are ficticious or pure illusion, but to those I say "the natural world is an extrordinary place and divine wisdom will only be known by those whom have proven themselves capable to wield such knowledge for the sake of humanity."
May 4, 2024
The Initiate by Cyril Scott has been one of those books that have stayed with me. Although the entire 3 book series is great, I have found myself rereading this initial book to the series the most. It is truly a fascinating read that comes in two parts within one book. Part 1 is nonfiction. Part 2 is a fascinating novel. The entire book is poetic in its spiritual beauty.
October 8, 2018
I loved this book when first I read it back in the 1980s and it helped me through a very difficult period. Wonderful stuff... allegorical, not to be taken literally, but nonetheless a beautiful book by the great composer and musician Cyril Scott. Highly recommended!
July 11, 2025
I found this book in a weird thrift store. I liked it quite a bit. It’s very odd.
Really appreciated the thought processes of people from 105 years ago.
Really appreciated the thought processes of people from 105 years ago.
April 13, 2009
This book was published anonymously. The reason is that Cyril Scott had indeed written about a remarkable man who was still alive and whose identity was properly to be kept secret. The protagonist in the book is not Scott - who I believe represented himself as a minor character at the edges of the story. However, the stories he tells do relate to a man who lived in Manchester and gathered a circle around him in the early years of the 20th century.
I knew someone who researched this man and met and interviewed members of his family who still lived in Manchester in the 1960's.
In a way the real story of the person whom Scott writes about is even more remarkable, because his knowledge of metaphysics, mysticism and philosophy was exemplary.
I knew someone who researched this man and met and interviewed members of his family who still lived in Manchester in the 1960's.
In a way the real story of the person whom Scott writes about is even more remarkable, because his knowledge of metaphysics, mysticism and philosophy was exemplary.
December 28, 2010
I often wonder where they are...
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews