[Help] Esoteric Versus Exoteric; Pros and Cons of each

[Khoren_]

Nowadays, with many resources from previously closed practices, and even cultures, being made easily accessible, we are finding more and more people pick up (dare I say appropriate) various symbols, phrases, levels, what have you of these systems. While I personally am for freedom of information - in almost whatever form that may bring - there is something to be said to have a system to sit you down and guide you through the various levels, teachings, and systems of these closed systems. (Yes I said systems many times. Fight me.)

First and foremost, as someone who is more or less LHP (For what that's worth), I found that my series of mentors simply taught me what they could before passing me along to the aether to find me another one. Now, no individual can fully claim that they found their teachings "by their own", as many authors, forum posters, and individual discussions can lead people down their paths, but there is a drastic distinction to be made between those who have just been passed from mentor to mentor and those who have followed a specific closed system (such as Thelema, OTO, A.:A ( I can't do that symbol properly), Masonry, Illuminati (Yes, they're real. Fight me.), Theosophy, or Rosa Cruxis). Whether this being knowing your place in the magical world, having a system to know if you know what you know, you know, or simply being able to have a paradigm that doesn't constantly conflict with itself, there is some positive in the more esoteric versus the exoteric knowledge.

Discuss.

 

[Xenophon]

The Chinese sage 荀子 Xun Zi, said that, "The greatest misfortune is to have no teacher."* He, of course, was talking about the traditional system where one lived with and associated with his mentor for at least a decade or more. There is, I think, a lot to be said for the unity that emerges from sticking to one thing for a long period. (At the very least, it shows the pupil immune to---or victorious over---the boredom scorpion. The lust for novelty is the finishing school for superficiality.)

(* I seem to be channeling Jackson today.)

 

[Robert Ramsay]

Nowadays, with many resources from previously closed practices, and even cultures, being made easily accessible, we are finding more and more people pick up (dare I say appropriate) various symbols, phrases, levels, what have you of these systems. While I personally am for freedom of information - in almost whatever form that may bring - there is something to be said to have a system to sit you down and guide you through the various levels, teachings, and systems of these closed systems. (Yes I said systems many times. Fight me.)

First and foremost, as someone who is more or less LHP (For what that's worth), I found that my series of mentors simply taught me what they could before passing me along to the aether to find me another one. Now, no individual can fully claim that they found their teachings "by their own", as many authors, forum posters, and individual discussions can lead people down their paths, but there is a drastic distinction to be made between those who have just been passed from mentor to mentor and those who have followed a specific closed system (such as Thelema, OTO, A.:A ( I can't do that symbol properly), Masonry, Illuminati (Yes, they're real. Fight me.), Theosophy, or Rosa Cruxis). Whether this being knowing your place in the magical world, having a system to know if you know what you know, you know, or simply being able to have a paradigm that doesn't constantly conflict with itself, there is some positive in the more esoteric versus the exoteric knowledge.

Discuss.

When I visited a big Masonic temple in London, I was struck by the huge selection of esoteric symbols that made it look like some kind of occult 'Supermarket Sweep'.

I've never worked my way through a system, mostly because I was searching for what lay behind the systems. The closest was Chaos Magic, but by its very nature, I don't think it's the kind of system you're talking about. I didn't have a mentor either.

I built a theory, and used that as a filter for all the occult books I read, to see which aspects were core, and which were artifacts of the individual systems.

 

[Morell]

I doubt that many people here have a teacher teaching whole system or teaching more than just one or few things.
I think it a gift that we can get so much of occult knowledge online in English and easily. True, the cons is that it's like a flood and takes time to start to orient and understand it. Of course many people misuse it, but it also allows many to have access at all.
I think that this libreta is great, but I don't doubt that for some (if not many) it means going much slower than with the teacher, who is both checking the student, but also is a motivator on the way.

When I visited a big Masonic temple in London, I was struck by the huge selection of esoteric symbols that made it look like some kind of occult 'Supermarket Sweep'.

Must had been interesting. You make it sound as if they were having their official store there too.

 

[Xingtian]

The proliferation of publicly available information allows also a fairly transparent look at the history, or lack thereof, of many traditions. Many masters and orders who pass them off as centuries or even millennia old can now be clearly traced to some schmuck who got a private revelation or read a book somewhere in the past 1-200 years, or promulgate ideas and practices that would be unrecognizable to their claimed forebears. Everyone should survey esoteric history before jumping into anything, and not just the canned narratives that the sects are selling.

 

[Shade]

Nowadays, with many resources from previously closed practices, and even cultures, being made easily accessible, we are finding more and more people pick up (dare I say appropriate) various symbols, phrases, levels, what have you of these systems. While I personally am for freedom of information - in almost whatever form that may bring - there is something to be said to have a system to sit you down and guide you through the various levels, teachings, and systems of these closed systems. (Yes I said systems many times. Fight me.)

First and foremost, as someone who is more or less LHP (For what that's worth), I found that my series of mentors simply taught me what they could before passing me along to the aether to find me another one. Now, no individual can fully claim that they found their teachings "by their own", as many authors, forum posters, and individual discussions can lead people down their paths, but there is a drastic distinction to be made between those who have just been passed from mentor to mentor and those who have followed a specific closed system (such as Thelema, OTO, A.:A ( I can't do that symbol properly), Masonry, Illuminati (Yes, they're real. Fight me.), Theosophy, or Rosa Cruxis). Whether this being knowing your place in the magical world, having a system to know if you know what you know, you know, or simply being able to have a paradigm that doesn't constantly conflict with itself, there is some positive in the more esoteric versus the exoteric knowledge.

Discuss.

I agree in the aspect there is a big difference between self taught esoteric initiation and exoteric (coming from a Freemason perspective) i have 7-8 lodges within an hour of me and they post upcoming charity/public events so I’ve interacted, talked to and been around quite a few, but if you claim to be a mason just because you know their symbolism and philosophy you would be considered a Cowan. Not because you know their “secrets” but more so because it’s meant to be a brotherhood and it’s not good to have someone spoil their name if you were ever rejected in joining, I’d imagine that’s how it is for many initiation practices across many esoteric sects. They aren’t so much concerned with what others know or what they think they know, but rather how what they know is used.
the progression up is where trust and brotherhood/sisterhood develop. There’s a lot to be said about genuine people. I hope that helps answer what you needed help with between systems your initiated into verses ones you learn on your own? Or I misunderstood the question.‘I could only speak of the initiation group I’m most familiar with however I’m sure that thought process transcends to other real initiation groups as well.