Secret Societies and Brotherhood
The idea of secret anything these days is hard to imagine. Everyone seems to know your business, and AI knows more about us than we do ourselves. The closest we seem to get to a secret societies these days is a Private Group.
Historically though, secret societies have played a central role in safeguarding those things which don’t conform to societal norms; the brotherhood of men-who-love-men being one such community. Another, in a very different culture, was tantra; especially the left-handed stream.
This got me to thinking about the key role in secrecy as a protective mechanism for many different cultural, mystical and esoteric communities, philosophies and spiritual practices. I’m particularly thinking of the similarities between Hermetics and Tantra, and how these in their different ways (mostly it has to be said, unintentionally) created safe spaces for men-who-love-men.
Both these communities, in their different ways, offer secure environments for exploring their respective spiritual practices and truths, as well as allowing breathing space for personal development, healing and growth so important for men-who-love-men (and any minority group). This, it seems to me, is important otherwise we simply become bogged down in the dogma and constraints of mainstream religion and societal norms.
As both Hermeticism and Tantra (especially as I mentioned before, the left-handed stream) are spiritual path that are inward, contemplative, and deeply personal (unlike more traditional paths and religions, where the emphasis is on the external expressions of faith) we are able to cultivate an intimate and direct relationship with the divine, independent of normative cultural contexts.
It initially struck me as odd just how similar Hermeticism and Tantra were. But bearing in mind the melting pot of Alexandria 2-300 years B.C. where Hermeticism, Tantra and many, many other religions and sects intermingled freely, this is maybe not so surprising. What is surprising really is that both Hermeticism and Tantra lasted the test of time. Both have withstood the dogma of the various mainstream religions which tried over the years to obliterate, suppress or absorb them.
If we look at the similarities between these two spiritual practices we can get some impression of the interplay that might have gone on during Alexandrian syncretism.
The well-known aphorism ‘As above, so below’, holds true for both Hermeticism and Tantra, where the outer world reflects our inner world. Likewise, do the ideas that everything is energy, vibrating, and everything flows as the in and out breath. And while everything is one, interconnected, everything is also dual (that is, in the universal and in the particular). This accounts for the notion of the masculine and feminine principles in both Hermeticism and Tantra. And, of course, the principle of cause and effect, or Karma, exists for both.
The goal of awakening or liberation is central to both. Not as an intellectual endeavour but as a form of direct experience. Something that in both cases allows us to break free of the repetitive cycle of birth and death. A key point in both spiritual practices is the need to embrace the material world. We are not looking to transcend the worldly, but to gain knowledge and wisdom we then bring back to our life. We do this through our body, our divine vessel. On a practical level, both Hermeticism and Tantra lay great emphasis on connecting to the Pineal Gland, for this is the gateway to heightened consciousness and awakening. It is here, via the 3rd Eye, we unlock ancient wisdom and the mysteries of the universe.
This is a prime importance to many men-who-love-men who have been taught to despise their body. When we combine this with the masculine and feminine principles (and the need to bring all our energy to bear) we get a more healthy rendering of what these spiritual paths can offer. Neither Hermeticism or Tantra demand conformity, rather they offer a freedom to pursue our individual truth.
Even at the practical level of practice there is much similarity. Both bring a focus to study, contemplation, self-reflection, meditation, and ritual. And in contemporary practice there is a recognition of the need to reinterpret and applying ancient knowledge to our contemporary and personal contexts. Worldly endeavours are not distractions, but become gateways.
Bringing it all together
There are many similarities between Hermeticism and Tantra (of the left-handed stream) – as well as many differences which I haven’t touched on here. But one of the things that is still as important as it ever was, is having a safe, private or secret space to practice brotherhood. Thankfully Skool offers us the opportunity to embrace our Brotherhood in this private space.
Tantra Yoga 4 men-who-love-men
https://www.skool.com/pink-tantra-towards-awakening-3416
Whether we are looking to connect, belong, heal or grow, this is still a rebellious act that flows against the tide of societal norms. Especially when we connect this to an embodied practice that embraces the worldly for men-who-love-men who themselves don’t confirm to the masculine / feminine dichotomy mainstream culture still tries to peddle.
A life of healing and spiritual growth is not easy. In today’s ‘age of noise’ stillness and coming to a place of silence within is not just a sacred act, it is a rebellious act, but an inner one that can lead to transformation and liberation.
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