- ENTER THE MYST -

- ENTER THE MYST -

- Enter the Myst -

THE GREEK MYSTERIES:

Alongside of Cults and popular traditions of the time, there exhisted inner circles

Mystery Institutions within which were secret traditions and foundations of Religion

These societies exhisted outside of normal Greek culture, and are difficult to trace
as they were jealously guarded and to breach ones oath to reveal them was

Punishable by death

These types of inner circles were common during the time period throughout antiquity
and their value was to purport there being more to learn, more to know, secrets to be had

Solutions to the most difficult secrets

It's not by chance that these organizations extended into Religion

Anywhere Philosophia was, there were Philosophers,Seekers of truths unknown to the Common
man, Secrets to be initiated into that became a status to seek, a prize to be had

Grecian Lore indicates that they were aware of things to come, of things in formation, of

Inner Secrets regarding the SOUL, a new concept and off shoot of the new Religions that
were developing on an almost daily basis

One of the most persistant of concepts was their claim to have introduced all the Arts known
to man, that they were the refiners of Civilization, and often times the inuendo was that
they were either instructed by the Gods, or were themselves Gods, and by their Devine Graces
either caused mankind to benefit, or instructed him at critical junctures

The ancient world was riddled with these societies, and they all had one thing in common:

Religion

- RAMPIANT CORRUPTION -

These groups, these 'Secret Societies' varied greatly in their goals and directions, and,
perhaps represented not only the best man had to offer, but the worst as well

Their paths were as varied as their Leaders, some noble, some corrupt, and within them we find
the best and the worst of Religion and Superstition as well

Knowledge is power, and its use determines its value, for knowledge is only knowledge, and only
the use of it determines the outcome of the effort

It has been thought that those that instituted these functions were of a higher calling, a
superior race than man himself came from, and that they were watchers, chosers, and guides to
humanity during its infancy, and that they brought with them gifts of knowledge and progress,
of science and mathematics and the knowing of Holy things

They were even thought of as having come from a superior race, perhaps not of this world,
perhaps not of mans time, and the wonders they instructed on could not have come from man
himself, nor been acquired by any other means

The tales of these Devine Sources are as varied as the schools they taught thru, and most
of them indicate that they went back to whence they came when it was felt that man had
progressed far enough to use reason and they had left the tasks up to their most
advanced students to complete

- CORRUPTION -

At this point where man himself takes over starts the tales of woe and sorrow

Man is said to have perverted the knowledges, to have turned them to his own uses, and
brought about greed

Without records, withhout acurate tinformation, it is difficult at best to say just what
the reality of these inner circles really was, but one thing is certain, Religion had
within it Mysteries that were held back for Initiates of inner circles, and the highest
of praises were given to them by the greatest minds of ancient Greece, and these great
men of antiquity told stories of their being both the cause and the reason of mans
ability to raise himself up out of the mire of ignorance, and progress towards a better
future, and allowed mankind a new option:

Salvation

- Political Mysteries -

The mysteries of State and Government (the Eleusinia) were perhaps the most decorative

Their blatant Pagentries and gaudy trappings were renoun and at first glance they seem
to have been little little more than a fan club, but in truth, seem to have run their
respective local Governments, providing support and control within their circle
Almost everyone who was anyone was a member, and most, if not all, who were the
socially elete were included into their ranks

It is easy to understand that the 'test' to get in wasn't very hard, many were admitted
to their ranks each and every year during the time period, and while not the largest of
the mysteries, they were certainly the most affluent

- The Private Mysteries -

Along with the Political Mysteries, there exhisted a group often refered to as the
Private Mysteries, whose ranks were certainly the largest of the Circles, and while not
acknowledged by the Political Circles, they certainly out numbered them by miles

Almost every variety of Mystery was sncompassed in these Circles, being frormed in the midst of
the 'commoners' and a study in the area of the Erani, the Orgeones, and the Thiasi will
produce much enlightenment that can be added to the information we already have on the
private communities and societies of this kind

There were within these Circles an undesirable element, but they seemed to satisfy a basic need
to those who were lacking in spiritual nourishment from these Circles, as the State Religious Mysteries appear to have been self-serving entities, providing entrance for the popularly elete
of thier day, but doing little for the common man

Among the Private Circles seems to appear a set of rigid asthetics, there were men and women
who had given themselves up to the 'Orphic Life', and generally refered to as the Orphics
There were also a mass of charlatans and pretenders inclusive in these Circles, claiming
purity of purpose and knowledge of the Mysteries as well, but they seem to have been of little
influence to the true Circles, being but a trap for unwary neophytes seeking entrance to the Inner
Circles, and must have been a filter for the masses, thereby serving a purpose, and we don't know
if they were supported in their efforts by the true Circles or not, but it seems unlikely

Much of the Orphic communities seem to have been made up of the refugee element, who, like
their surrounding neighbors and communities, seem to have been driven to seek a Religious
lifestyle, and many of them found their way to the Pytharorian schools of wisdom

Pythagoras seems to have been previously run out of Crotona in a State purge, and he and his
students often sought refuge in among the Orphics

He had expanded on a previously exhisting school of learning, and become quite famous, and must
have threatened the State with his efforts to educate the public, and bring social enlightenment
to those not 'approved' by the Hpper Eschelon elete

His school was forceably closed down, and he and his students disbanned, many of them forced to flee

It seems the Pythagorian school melted into the Orphic community, and was absorbed
The Pythagoran tradition showed signs of Philosophic Mysteries, and the best of the Pythagoriean
and Orphic traditions show us indication of the nature of the real Mysteries, and exhibit none of
the political elements of the Eleusinia or the disorderly elements of the Oriental Circles

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