The Story Behind the “Secret Teachings of All Ages”

By Jessica Hundley

In 1923, 22-year-old Los Angeles-based philosopher Manly P. Hall set out by ship to explore sacred sites around the globe. He would stand at the feet of the Sphinx, climb the Great Wall, and sit at the feet of Sufi holy men. Returning home, Hall set out to write his magnum opus, a massive compendium of philosophy and myth, entitled The Secret Teachings of All Ages. As he explained in a letter his “It is a volume to be used in interpreting the philosophic, scientific, and religious allegories of the ancient and modern worlds. This book has a definite message for those in every walk of life who are interested in the deeper problems of their divine origin and destiny.”