Comments from the first and original English IIH

It is not that commonly known that there is a previous English edition of IIH that pre-dates both the Ruggeberg and Merkur editions. It was published in 1962 by Osiris Verlag, 9 years earlier than the first Ruggeberg edition.

Recently I noticed some interesting commentary from the cover/foreword that never made it into future editions (presumably because subsequent publishers did not own the copyright to these comments?) and I am sharing them for readers here:

“Just as each Brother of Light did Fr. Bardon live among his fellowmen, a plain man, whose true name very few of his disciplines have been acquainted with. It was – and continues to be – his task to guide the increasing crowd of his pupils as well as the disciples of spiritual science, with his sure hand, through the gate of initiation.

The new cycle of the Seventh Ray, ray of the ceremonial order or magic, which now has got thoroughly going, induced the Divine Providence to liberate the first three Tarot card which total up to 72.

The present book, entitled: “Initiation into Hermetics” represents the whole of the first Tarot card and comprises the exciting earthly mysteries. The second Tarot card will be published in the volume “Practice of magic Evocation” (the high-school of the adepts). The third Tarot card will be the subject of the third volume: “Key to the true Quabbalah” (Man as a Sovereign in the Microcosm and the Macrocosm).

Having herewith accomplished his mission, he re-entered his spiritual world in July 1958. Advanced disciples, however, will recognise that this book will blaze a pathway for centuries in the new cycle of Rays.”

The foreword runs as follows:

“Meeting the news of the New Age, the human mind is exploring all levels of existence. The earth has become too small for Man who is trying to advance to {the} interplanetary space. He wants  to penetrate to the secrets of nature and to lift the veil of the Sphinx.

The hierarchy, too, is coming to meet this urge for knowledge and is unveiling the long treasured {up} mysteries.

Copies of his book in German language went to the USA, India and Australia, and from there came the cry for an English edition.

There is no doubt that every one who has been searching for the true and authentic cognition, in vain looked around for years, if not even for [a] lifetime, to find a reliable method of training. The ardent desire for this noble aim made people again and again collect a mass of books, from near and far, supposed to be the best ones, but which were lacking a great deal for real practice. not one, however, of all the seekers could make any sense from all the stuff collected in the course of time, and the goal aimed at so fervently vanished more and more in nebulous distances. Provided the one or the other did start to work on the progress after instructions so highly prized, his good will and diligence never saw any satisfactory results. Apart from that, nobody could reliably answer {to} his pressing questions, whether or not just this way he had selected, was the correct one for his individual case.

In this book, the training methods are expressed in simple words, a way followed up to date only in the different mystery schools.

it is therefore my heart’s desire that this book may become a guide for life for all the people who are seriously and honestly searching, and lead them to the target they have been longing for!

We are pleased to express our sincere gratitude to all those of our friends who enabled us to publish this first volume in an English version.

The Editors, Graz, March 1962.

So, what differences or notable points can we discern from this? Perhaps, not much. Just my own musing, but with careful reading one might conclude ideas along the following lines:

1. Bardon had numerous direct students, and supported the idea of a teacher, presumably, above that of self-initiation.
2. Authentic, but closed, mystery schools have similar teachings to Bardon’s techniques, kept private from the public.
3. The concept of a spiritual hierarchy or organisation of which Bardon was a part is true, irrespective of how one views the story of Frabato. And that Bardon has a larger identity than his incarnation (or Avesh) as Bardon, within that hierarchy. Other authors have suggested that the master known as Hilarion might be relevant to this.
4. The concept of the 7 rays, as held by ancient Indian philosophies, theosophy and the ascended masters teachings was consistent with Bardon’s teachings. And that a new cycle of evolution was beginning, around the time of the publication of his books.

Another thing to remark on is that unlike subsequent editions, this edition is not dedicated to Otti Votavova. It is not clear whether that is an omission in this edition, or a subsequent conception in later editions.

The copyright for this edition was held by Rudolf Pravica, possibly a relative of Maria Pravica, Bardon’s secretary, in Graz, Austria.

Aside from the above, the text of the edition is identical (as far as I can see) to the Ruggeberg edition. Alfred Radspieler is named as the English translator in both editions.

The cover also has the Lagavana motif from Muller’s Das Buch Vom Buddha Des Westens, which the Ruggeberg editions also bear.

I am curious about the foreword and commentary in the German editions, and whether it is similar to Osiris, or Ruggeberg/Merkur, or different from both. Perhaps a German speaker might comment?