La Tradition Cosmique

Via Antiquities of the Illuminati and Kheper

I first came across Max Theon's La Tradition Cosmique in the year 2000, when I first obtained a copy of Allen Greenfield's
THE STORY OF THE HERMETIC BROTHERHOOD OF LIGHT (Looking Glass Press, 1997). I had been searching for the connecting links between Moses Dobruschka (and the Frankist Tradition), and the Asiatic Brethren/Fratres Lucis Tradition. Though I didn't know it at first, Allen Greenfield had also researched this connection. When I started pursuing this research on the internet, in the autumn of 2000, I came across not only the Kheper website, but the book mentioned above by Allen Greenfield.

I started reading on the Kheper website that they were making these connections between the Frankists and the Asiatic Brethren, but they were dismissing any connection between Max Theon and any of these groups.

When I found the Cosmic Tradition books on the Gallica Site (where they originated, by the way), I started printing them. As I printed them, I would read little bits -- as it took a long time to print these books, only about 10 pages at a time on the old Packard Bell -- and it appeared to me that these works contained an odd form of the Gnostic Mythos, with Persian, Sufi,
Jewish, Gnostic, North African elements mixed together. In fact the form of this work (especially in the first two volumes) -- is in the form of an astral initiation.

This is the kind of thing that would take place, from what I gather from the rituals and papers associated with the Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor/Light -- during the Initiation ceremonies. Some kind of seance, like the Inner Circle of the early Borderland Sciences Research Association.

One tell-tale giveaway that there is a Missing Link connecting the Theon Cosmic Tradition/Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor-Light back to the Fratres Lucis is the use of one of the Degree names in a dialogue in Theon's work. So you might find it useful to connect the dots together using our TimeLine of the Authentic Tradition charts.

It is good that these works are available, or at least that two-thirds of them are available (there were originally six of these). And that they are at least in the French Language.

The other volumes, such as Extract from the Life of Kelaouchi relates to a Dervish sect that exists in Tunisia. Or existed, since the source is from the early 20th Century. The Kelaouchins. More on that to come in another place.

A good resumé of The Cosmic Tradition is to be found in Greenfield's book, in Appendix F: "Outline of the Cosmic Philosophy and the Object of the Cosmic Movement."

All told, Max Theon's work is very important, because it establishes a relationship between two important antinomian currents, and a connection to the mainstream of European Esoteric and Occult organizations. First, there is a connection made to the heterodox Jewish Messianic Tradition (via Frank/Zevi/Luria), and to North African Magical Traditions. Next, these two antinomian currents are brought into contact, via the H B of L, with the French Occult network, which was established and administrated by Gèrard Encausse (PAPUS). In his design of the organization, the Martinist Order was at the bottom of the pyramid. Next came De Guaita's R+C Order; above that was "Gnôse et Temple" -- the Johannite and Templar Order survivals from the days of Palaprat and Ragon (whom Papus regarded as a predecessor) -- and at the very top of it all was the H B of L. Not bad.

So, in these books you have some invaluable data. Lore, Philosophy, Ritual, Initiation, Techniques. It is good that they have been made available.

Jonathan Sellers
Director
Antiquities of the Illuminati