Manly P. Hall (1901–1990): Mystic Teacher of the Secret Teachings
The Canadian-born philosopher who unveiled the hidden connections between astrology, the Bible, and the world’s sacred traditions.
Fast Facts
- Full Name: Manly Palmer Hall
- Born: March 18, 1901 — Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
- Died: August 29, 1990 — Los Angeles, California, USA
- Known for: Mysticism, esotericism, philosophy, and The Secret Teachings of All Ages (1928)
- Institutions: Founded the Philosophical Research Society (PRS) in Los Angeles in 1934
Life & Career
Manly P. Hall’s life reads like that of a modern sage. Raised mostly in the United States after his father’s death and his mother’s move for work, Hall was drawn early to philosophy, theosophy, and comparative religion. By age 27, he had published his magnum opus — The Secret Teachings of All Ages — an encyclopedic volume of symbolism, mythology, mysticism, and esoteric traditions that secured his reputation as a leading esoteric thinker. He would go on to lecture thousands of times, publish over 150 works, and inspire generations of spiritual seekers.
The Secret Teachings of All Ages
Published in 1928, this massive volume (over 700 pages, originally issued as a limited subscription edition) explores the hidden wisdom of ancient cultures, secret societies, astrology, alchemy, Qabalah, Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry, and Christianity. It contains entire sections on biblical symbolism and astrological archetypes within the Judeo-Christian tradition. Hall treated the Bible not as a simple literal text, but as an allegorical book of symbols with deep cosmological meaning.
“The great truths of religion are veiled in symbols and allegories.”
— Manly P. Hall, The Secret Teachings of All Ages (1928)
“The Book of Revelation is a book of mysteries — the Apocalypse of St. John is, in fact, a book of mystical astrology and cosmic prophecy.”
— paraphrased from Hall’s lectures on esoteric Christianity
Astrology and the Bible
Hall emphasized that astrology was deeply embedded in Christian Scripture, just as it was in other religions. He pointed to:
- The twelve tribes of Israel as reflections of the twelve zodiac signs.
- The twelve apostles as zodiacal archetypes, with Christ as the sun at the center.
- The Book of Revelation as an astrological text, filled with cosmic imagery of stars, beasts, and cycles.
For Hall, astrology was not fortune-telling, but a symbolic language of the soul — a way to understand God’s design written in the heavens. He urged his readers to rediscover astrology not as superstition but as “the oldest sacred science.”
The Philosophical Research Society
In 1934, Hall founded the Philosophical Research Society (PRS) in Los Angeles. PRS housed a library, lecture hall, and publishing arm dedicated to philosophy, religion, and esoteric studies. Hall served as its president until his death in 1990. Through PRS, he lectured thousands of times on topics ranging from biblical mysticism to Hermetic philosophy, always weaving astrology into his framework of the perennial wisdom tradition.
Quotes from Manly P. Hall
“The great systems of religion were based upon the solar myth — the story of light and darkness. Christianity, like all other religions, is founded upon the celestial allegory.”
“Astrology is a language. If you understand this language, the sky speaks to you.”
“When the human race learns to read the language of symbolism, a great veil will fall from the eyes of men.”
Legacy & Influence
Manly P. Hall is remembered as one of the most important esoteric teachers of the 20th century. He made ancient wisdom accessible to modern audiences, connecting astrology, the Bible, and world religions into one stream of sacred philosophy. His Secret Teachings continues to be reprinted and studied nearly a century after publication, inspiring spiritual seekers, mystics, astrologers, and researchers of hidden wisdom.
Through his work, Hall made the case that the Bible was never meant to be read only literally — but symbolically, as a cosmic book of astrology, numerology, and allegory. His voice still challenges us today to read the heavens and Scripture together, as one divine text.