Custodians of the Tradition

Excerpts from DECLARATION OF THE PEOPLE 
OF THE TRADITION (Octagon Press, 1966)


Among all peoples, and in all countries, there is a tradition
about a secret, hidden, special, superior form of knowledge
accessible to man after passing through circumstances of
difficulty.


This declaration is concerned with that subject...


... Because this knowledge, in its nature and operation, is
different from what people are accustomed to expect of
knowledge, attempts to find out and make use of it
generally fail. It will respond and operate fully only if
approached in a certain manner. This is the first of the
difficulties encountered in the 'path.'


It has been said that: "a thing can be approached only
according to the manner in which it can be perceived."
Thus trying to mend a watch with a cobbler's tool will not
succeed, trying to look for the sun at night will not succeed.


Few people can hope to live long enough to discover by
trial and error the necessary conditions of the search.
Specialized knowledge and technique are required. Mass
endeavor cannot compensate for the incapacity or
ignorance of the individual.


The knowledge to which we refer is concentrated,
administered and presided over by three kinds of individual
existing at any given time. They have been called an
"Invisible Hierarchy" because, under ordinary
circumstances, they are not in communication or contact
with ordinary human beings; certainly not in two-way
communication with them.


In one sense, the way to the knowledge passes through a
"chain of succession" in which perception of the ordinary
man must have help in attaining a higher degree of contact.
Religion, folklore and the like abound with disguised
examples of this progress. 


Many manifestations, taking religious, magical, alchemical,
psychological and other forms, are, in reality, vestigial parts 
of the science to which we refer. Very often, procedures, 
which are considered to be "Ways of Truth" and the like,
are neither more nor less than traces of techniques which 
have been used in the past to attain the link referred to above.


One of the "difficulties" in this quest for knowledge of a
higher order is the very existence, or rather the misuse, of
these survivals. That which was, as it were, the chrysalis
for a butterfly becomes a prison for the caterpillar which
tries to use it to become a butterfly himself. He fails
generally to realize that he has to make his own chrysalis.


Thus, we have attachment to the form of rites, beliefs and
personalities which, in their origin, were of specific and
high function. This attachment becomes a conditioning
which may be sentimental or intellectual. If the true
greatness and importance of such institutions, procedures
and individuals were rightly understood by those votaries
who now attach themselves to superseded methodologies
and pathetically attempt to identify themselves with
externals, they would be able to appreciate the true beauty,
grandeur and greatness of the very things which they
imagine to be threatened by such remarks as these.


Man, then, is generally out of alignment with the truth 
which he knows in some way to be there. He has to get 
into alignment with it. This he can do only by using a 
formulation of his quest which is innocent of past 
associations. Here we have the reason for the very many
past formulations of the Path of Truth.


This is not to say that man must dissipate existing 
associations or automatisms in order to build afresh; 
because now here and now there is a possibility to slip 
through the veil of conditioning to a perception with a
part of the mind which is virtually unused...


... It is the task of the Custodians of the Tradition to
communicate, as best they can, in whatever language is
indicated, to those who may be able to benefit from what
can be made available. They are concerned with the
capacity of the people addressed and capacity alone. They
have no special interest in the nominal background,
seniority or superficial psychological characteristics of the
people addressed. If anything is consistent, it is the
experience that suitable candidates may be found among
the members of any tradition.


We should mention here another of the difficulties of the
Path of Truth, which is due to the fact that the knowledge
of which we are speaking exists in places and among
people who might not be expected to possess it. Its
appearance, therefore, is often contrary to expectation.


What has been said about "difficulties" will show that these
are always more apparent than real. A difficulty is always
great to one who cannot adjust himself to the real facts of a
situation...



(Octagon Press, 1966)