I am presenting here, a collection of transcribed lectures by May Benzenberg Mayer (MBM, 1860-1952), founder and director of The School of Applied Philosophy in New York City, which was active between the mid-1920’s and the early 1950’s. Most of the lectures were taken in shorthand by my great-aunt Gertrude Borchard (GB, 1891-1981) which she transcribed into typed form creating this 3,400+ page manuscript. Some were also recorded on tape. She and her sister, my grandmother, Alice Borchard Greene (ABG, 1893-1972), both faculty of the School, worked tirelessly on the manuscript in their later years into the 1970’s. Much of the transcribed lectures are in note form, i.e. containing incomplete sentences, but some have been edited by the two women to be complete, publishable material. Following the passing of MBM in 1953, Dr. Greene and Ms. Borchard continued to present lectures to the School in our family home in New Jersey so I started my philosophy education at a very young age.
The manuscript is broken down into lecture series, courses taking months of lectures, single one hour lectures and even index cards of quotes. Some of the lectures are directed to individuals just beginning their interest in personal development while other lectures are for more advanced students having worked on their self-development personally with MBM for years.
The original typed manuscript was Xeroxed to create five copies. The copy I have is one. I believe the others went to MBM’s son, Sandro Mayer of Fishkill, NY (deceased), Arthur Gill of Scarsdale, NY (deceased), Elizabeth Alpert of Avon-by-the-Sea, NJ (deceased) and the fifth, unknown. To see the editorial notes you would need to look at my typed paper copy which is now located at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., or you could look at the pdf of the manuscript. There will be editorial notes by either ABG, GB or MBM in the margins indicating either the lack of clarity or missing words resulting in incomplete or unclear sentences, shorthand notes or illegible, changed or inserted words. A series of dots also would indicate words or a phrase missing. There will also be editorial notes by GB where she either missed hearing certain MBM’s words or questioned her own shorthand notes during transcription. As an editor, GB added words or phrases and these are often included in parentheses. Rather than delete all those imperfect sentences, they remain so that one can glean some meaning and then just move on to the remaining material.
The Comments pane in the Pages or Word files of the manuscript will show the original page numbers and any editorial notes. There are many references to “Charts”. Look for the appropriate posters and charts in the folder titled “Posters and Charts”.
I recognized both Alice and Gertrude’s handwriting and was able to make some edits with good confidence. There are many questions which are shown in the Comments pane which are unfortunately unanswered.
-Carol Leslie (Shriner) Denick
Crowd Psychology – Mass Thinking
MASS THINKING In going over material along this line, and thinking about it, I found it to be such a broad subject that I realized that I could only brush the fringe of it, for it includes such broad subjects and concepts as thinking, psychology and philosophy of groups, of crowds as well as […]
FATE, CHANCE, DESTINY – Two talks by MBM – March, 1950
FATE, CHANCE, DESTINY Two talks by MBM given in March, 1950 People ask the question as to the justice of things. Ask it in regard to the personal too. Think there is no order, or else try to find it. Search. How the question was answered of old, that is something to find out, […]
THE INTEGRATION OF ALL KNOWLEDGE as presented by MBM – Outline of Introduction
THE INTEGRATION OF ALL KNOWLEDGE as presented by MBM Outline of Introduction THE BLUEPRINT Cosmic Order, World Order, Great Mind as the SOURCE, or fountain head of all knowledge. Truth What we mean by knowledge: far more than the arts and sciences as known to man; far more than the Cosmos “that sense knows” – […]
A Great Gnostic Teaching – Pistis Sophia – lecture series – MBM 1929
A Great Gnostic Teaching MBM Friday, March 15, 1929 Pre-Christian as well as Christian sects. The pre-Christian sometimes were swallowed up in the Christian. And (there were) those who, from all times, sought truth, sometimes in areas where the Christian influence never touched them. The non-Christian gnosis (was) loftier — makes a greater demand […]
“PARSIFAL” lecture notes as given by MBM, April 5, 1928
Notes of LECTURE ON “PARSIFAL” as given by MBM, April 5, 1928 A dramatization of the processes that belong to the evolving human. Therefore like a pattern which can be understood and followed. The story is based on an old saga; we do not know its source, but it is before the Christian tradition. […]
Wagner’s Ring Cycle — Der Ring des Nibelungen A few fragmentary notes from talk by MBM, April 19, 1949
Wagner’s Ring Cycle — Der Ring des Nibelungen A few fragmentary notes from talk by MBM, April 19, 1949 This theme not used otherwise. Touches on cosmogony, – Beginnings. Brings in elementals, (a subhuman order of life.) Comes from a Norse source. Long verbal tradition, later recorded in the Eddas. Rheingold: Brings in Water-maidens […]
Philosophical Alchemy – Series of three classes by MBM, October, 1932
Philosophical Alchemy Series of three classes by MBM. October, 1932 Lecture I ….House of imperishable knowledge. Not made with hands. Rooted in big things. Foundation, eternity. Plumbed (?) by laws and by principles. Rears itself up to higher places, against the sky. Most knowledge is perishable. The need for permanent values. A pity that […]
Gilgamesh and Enkidu – two lectures by MBM, 1938
NAMES ASSOCIATED WITH THE STORY OF GILGAMESH MBM Lectures January 1948 Gilgamesh also spelled Izdbar and Gisdubar by various authorities. The name of a king of Eridu (Erech) of the first dynasty (circa 3000 B.C.). Shamash (the Sun-god) is his father; Rimat-belit his mother. Utnapishtim is his ancestor. Allegorically he is the human self […]
The Nature of Man – MBM, 1942
SUGGESTED OPENING FOR “THE NATURE OF MAN” MBM 1942 The subject for these seven classes is, as you know from the title, a study of the nature of man. Everyone thinks he knows something of this subject. Daily experience with one’s self, watching others, – seeing plays and movies, – reading book reviews, – not […]
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – two lectures – MBM, 1939
SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS Series of Two Lectures by MBM One of the Friday Evening Background Courses March 1939 Wisdom from various traditions. The first was from Syria (the preceding background course, the Lost Sayings of Jesus) from the Christian Tradition. The second was on the Golden Verses of Pythagoras (Greek). Today we […]
The Penetralia – School of Applied Philosophy – MBM, 1931-1934 and 1952
The Penetralia The Penetralia is the Temple of Source Teachings Society. A highly conditioned node where it is possible to make relationship with Trainees, chosen on the basis of their readiness, and after careful preparation by MBM, are offered the privilege of participating in the meetings there. Its high condition, the key in which MBM, […]
Transliminal Group, Meetings with MBM 1933.
Transliminal Group Excerpts from MBM’s talk to the Transliminal Group, May 19, 1933. This was a small group of four, who had been doing individual work with MBM in the pre-tutoring and tutoring stages. Their task was to collect transliminal material, their own and others’, illustrating different types of psychodrams and to interpret and […]
A Mystery Drama of Ancient Babylon – two lectures and a symposium, MBM 1937
A Mystery Drama of Ancient Babylon (A Passion Drama of Old Mesopotamia corresponding to the trial, death and resurrection of Jesus.) A series of two lectures and a symposium MBM December, 1937 The story found on two tablets from excavations at Ashur. Translation by Sayce. It gives the steps that belong to the last days […]
Stonehenge – Two lectures on Wisdom Lore – MBM 1949
Stonehenge First of two lectures from series on Wisdom Lore MBM March 15, 1949, following Mayan, Mithraic and Flood. (These notes may not be accurate in all respects, especially in their description of the various circles, names of the stones and their measurements, but this data can be obtained in various books on the subject. […]
The Ark – Three Lectures – MBM, 1935
The Ark MBM Lecture I (from series of three) October 22, 1935) Ark means an enclosure. Chest. Noah, tenth in line from Adam. Universal Flood stories. Also ark stories. Flood of Deucalion (Greek) and his wife Pyrrha. Helped Prometheus, who gave the directions for the building of the ark. Also stories of Flood in America […]
Consciousness – Series of seven lectures by MBM October-December, 1942
Consciousness Series of seven lectures by MBM October-December, 1942 Lecture I. October 22, 1942 Permanent realities…… Clearer consciousness sometimes makes you suffer; do consciousness seems the road to suffering and pain. But without consciousness you cannot grow and you cannot live. It is necessary to intelligent functioning. To insight. . . future, and to an […]
MBM Conference on Training – at Whiting Arches MBM, 1950.
MBM Conference on Training Notes on review of MBM’s second conference at Whiting Arches in the summer of 1950, on Training, as discussed in the Monday Group October 23, 1950. The focus in this Conference, as in the first, is on integration: A revaluation of what the monad is, and its relationship to the Larger. […]
The Training School of Earth – series of classes – MBM, 1932
The Training School of Earth First of a series of seven classes given by MBM at the 8:30 hour, which was more for beginning students than the 7:00 hour January l4, 1932 The point of view of this class is just the opposite of that in the 7 o’clock class (One Rhythm in the Pilgrimage […]
A New Order of Knowledge – Lecture compilation – MBM 1949-1950
Fourth Lecture on A New Order of Knowledge Notes on playback of fourth (last) lecture in MBM’s series on this subject the season 1949-50. The first three in the series are not available at this time. The first lecture was on the physical side of the earth and the spheres around it and of which […]
The Smaragdine Tablet, or The Emerald Tablet of Hermes, A Study of the Text – Two lectures by MBM November 30 and December 14, 1935
THE SMARAGDINE TABLET, or THE EMERALD TABLET OF HERMES TEXT OF THE TABLET 1 .True, without error, certain, and most true. That which is above is that which is below; 3 .And that which is below is that which is above, 4 .For the performing the miracle of the One Thing; 5 .And as […]
Tale of Two Brothers – MBM Two lectures, March 1933
Tale of Two Brothers MBM Two lectures, March 1933 One of the Friday evening background courses first lecture – March 10, 1933 Ms. #10,800 in the British Museum. From the 18th dynasty of Old Egypt. Containing this story. Written in hieratic, which is the script way of writing hieroglyphs, and became the priestly reporting writing […]
Jonah and the Whale – two lectures by MBM from Friday evening background series – November 15, 1929
Jonah and the Whale First of two talks by MBM from Friday evening background series. November 15, 1929 Jonah a Semite. Wandering race. The race came from somewhere in central Asia …. In Egypt….Babylonia. Mesopotamia. Old Chaldea and Babylonia. Then Jerusalem. Traditions contacted in Asia. Boraceus, third century B.C. historian. The Chaldean god, Ea is […]
The Hymn of the Robe of Glory – Single talk by MBM from series: The Teachings of Pojodag – January 10, 1929
The Hymn of the Robe of Glory Single talk by MBM from series The Teachings of Pojodag January 10, 1929 Text is the little book with this title, with comments by G.R.S.Mead, published 1908, in the series Echoes from the Gnosis, The Theosophical Publishing Society, London. We should ask: From What to What? Origins and […]
Norse-Greek and Babylonian Cosmogonies, compilation of MBM lectures, 1929
Greek and Babylonian Cosmogonies A few excerpts from a talk by MBM January 24, 1929 to the Thursday evening 7:00 class which was more advanced than the one for beginners at 8:30. A single class from series “A Symposium of the Teachings of Pojodag.” Cosmogonies give us the stage setting for our lives. There is […]
The Prometheus Myth – MBM, Single Talk, April 14, 1931
The Prometheus Myth MBM Single Talk April 14, 1931 (See Galey’s “Classic Myths, for the story.) Prometheus, a myth, as far as Creation concerns man. Prometheus means fire-bringer, or fire-getter, or fire-robber. Myths are growths with the development of the human race. Prometheus as the figure-head. Fire: associated, first, with sex; second, […]
Gnostic Schools – Eternal Wisdom from the Gnostic Schools – Series of two classes, MBM March 1940
Gnostic Schools (Eternal Wisdom from the Gnostic Schools) Series of two classes. March 1940 A background course. Background courses are as important as major courses. They are one of the bases for a true understanding of life and the world is to understand something of what these background courses try to give you. I am […]
Chinese Tradition – Series of two classes given by MBM, November 5 and 12, 1951
Chinese Tradition Series of two classes on this tradition given by MBM November 5 and 12, 1951 Healthy attitude for a new venture. The Chinese tradition goes thousands of years back. We have never gone as far East as this before at the School. We may be in for some surprises. Different ways of […]
Popul-Vuh, Wisdom Lore of the Mayans, two lectures by MBM, February 1949
From the Wisdom Lore of the Ancient Americas Series of two lecture-discussions by MBM on the Popul-Vuh, Books I and II, from the Mayan Tradition, including something from its cosmogony and its ritual tests for initiation and mystical progression. Lecture I February 15, 1949 (Spelling of names of mythical figures in these notes is not […]
Metaphysics II, Lectures 3-7, MBM January, 1942
OUTLINE METAPHYSICS II (draft by GB on class as given by MBM) Comparison of metaphysics with physics. Wide field originally included in physics. Narrowed later to substances and energies of the physical world. Wrong use of the word metaphysics. Our course on the metaphysics of man. Teachings in Wisdom lore re bodies of man in […]
Metaphysics – Five Lectures – MBM, February 8, 1945
Metaphysics Lecture I February 8, 1945 (The world next door; next octave of the five senses; planks in platform of the School; false imagination; aura.) The world next door. The last frontier. Experiencing the evidence of a world next door, to take away that fear; to make it part of your normal environment. Are these […]
Symposiums at Whiting Arches, MBM Question and Answer, 1946
MBM in discussion with Training Group answers to questions March, 1946 Subjects touched upon: Evolution Wisdom lore, nature of. Jason story Heritage Stature self and Self Soul Objects of training Archetypal pattern Aquarian Age Destiny Beyond the subconscious Incarnation Communism vs democracy on the nature of Wisdom-lore. Ans. It strikes a chord […]
TWO LECTURES INTRODUCTORY TO THE WORK, MBM: April – May 1931
TWO LECTURES INTRODUCTORY TO THE WORK MBM: Lecture I April 30, 1931 We will plunge directly into serious matters. There are three ranks, or grades, of people, covering all humanity: The sleeping, the largest in number, the Broadway type, etc., the philosophically dead. The philosopher knows it is a temporary state, an indication of an […]
Parables of Jesus – 1st lecture MBM – January 26, 1949
Parables of Jesus 1st lecture January 26, 1949 What is Aquarian in the teachings of Jesus? We gather it from words and episodes along the way. Was called the Son of God. Not so. Fruit of the human evolution; has completed the eating of the apple. Became fruit of. Baptism? in earlier ages. The spiritual […]
Book of the Holy Hierotheos – three lectures by MBM, November, 1928
Book of the Holy Hierotheos (Series of three lectures by MBM, November, 1928 according to incomplete notes of GB) Mead using it as his main work. Jung also deeply interested. Book of the Holy Hierotheos just translated and published by the Text Society. F.S. Marsh, associated with Cambridge University. Has never been translated until now, […]
Lost Sayings Of Jesus – MBM, 1936
The Lost Sayings of Jesus Second class of a series of two (GB absent from first). A few of the non-canonical texts and others “Logia” from the Oxyrhynchus Papyri, discovered in l897. Book on these by Grenfell and Hunt Date of class Jan. 11, 1936 Mimeo pages of the sayings attached to these notes, […]
Forums for Pre-Trainees Series of four talks by MBM beginning February 18, 1937
Forums for Pre-Trainees Series of four talks by MBM beginning February 18, 1937 Subjects touched on in first Forum: tutoring and training, personality as shell; laws of evolution of soul; man, mind, spirit; philosophical homesickness; three kinds of knowledge; myths, balance; ways of getting experience. ______________ There are two ways of looking at the courses […]
Philosophy of Number, Number symbolism, MBM, January – February 1929
Philosophy of Number Number symbolism Notes from series of five lecture-classes Friday evening background courses January – February 1929, by MBM Lecture I January 25, 1929 Philosophy of number from the cosmological end. Number begins above. It takes in the very qualities and conditions of what we call number. The virtue is not in number […]
Principles of Astrology – Excerpts from Class I, Series 2, of MBM course – January – February, 1930
Excerpts from Class I, Series 2, of MBM course Principles of Astrology January – February, 1930 We will attack the signs from the human side. The signs represent the path which man travels. Like stages, or steps, on the way, over which the seven are shining in various degrees of power and interrelation. Seven […]
Through Dreams to the Higher Realities
Outline of contents of book on Dream Progressions: Through Dreams to the Higher Realities Types of dreams outside the scope of those studied by Psychoanalysis. Many of these types are useful not only in the handling of problems of daily life but also in the attainment of insight and perspective on the meaning and purpose […]
The Process of Involution
The Process of Involution The vast processes of evolution are of necessity predicated upon the process of involution. It is unthinkable and scientifically untenable to imagine that something can come out of nothing. The potentials for evolution must be present, else there would be nothing to bring forth, to evolve. As a seed is equipped […]
Heritage, Inheritance and Environment by Alice Borchard Greene (ABG)
Heritage vInheritance and Environment written by ABG (Alice Borchard Greene) Introduction A knowledge of the three basic factors shaping all human life is essential for purposeful growth. These factors are the environment, one’s inheritance, or racial stock; and one’s heritage, history of the soul. All three contribute to an understanding, and thus better management, […]
THE MAJOR PROBLEMS OF LIVING TO WHICH ONE MUST GIVE ANSWER AND THE CLASSIC DRAGONS ONE MEETS EN ROUTE TO THOSE ANSWERS
THE MAJOR PROBLEMS OF LIVING TO WHICH ONE MUST GIVE ANSWER AND THE CLASSIC DRAGONS ONE MEETS EN ROUTE TO THOSE ANSWERS Introduction It is obviously healthy and normal to want to increase one’s capacity to work and to enjoy life. It is all too human to hope to arrive at these goals in an […]
QUESTIONS FOR “THREE REALMS OF LAW” MBM – November 1942
QUESTIONS FOR “THREE REALMS OF LAW” MBM – November 1942 What would you say is the general characteristic of Mind Law working on nature?What are its effects when viewed in the large perspective of millenniums? How much and where is the Realm of Nature objective to man left untouched? Can you perceive in this same […]
Practical Applications of Spiritual Law – MBM, Feb-May 1936
Practical Applications of Spiritual Law Series by MBM given Feb.-May, 1936 Notes, rather fragmentary, by GB February 13, 1936 Introduction: Spiritual laws require too much. They are too strenuous; they demand all. They allow no modification. They are absolutes. And there are very few who have the courage, or the determination, or the […]
THE GREAT OPERATIVE LIFE PRINCIPLES Given in a series of seven lecturers by MBM, October-December 1931
THE GREAT OPERATIVE LIFE PRINCIPLES Given in a series of seven lecturers by MBM, October-December 1931 Transcribed from notes of Gertrude Borchard Lecture I – Rhythm – October 15, 1931 The study of these Principles opens door on door, and you move ever forward and inward, to the beginning of things — not intellectually, but […]
Old Testament – Wilderness Allegory – MBM, January 15, 1932
THE WILDERNESS ALLEGORY Lecture 6 MBM – January 15, 1932 This evening we begin the second book in the Old Testament, Exodus. The real significance of Exodus may be found in the first chapters, where it says the people all multiply greatly. . . . . the return from Exodus toward the Promised Land, where […]
The Mystery and Psychology of Human Types – MBM, 1939
Synopsis of lectures on THE MYSTERY AND PSYCHOLOGY OF HUMAN TYPES by MBM 7 lectures Begun February l6,1939 Peculiarities in the conduct of the self and those contacted in family, business and social relations due to TYPE.Type is fixation in the flow of the life-force through persons. Life is flow. Stoppage of flow is type. […]
Reconciliation of the Great Four – Science, Psychology, Religion & Philosophy – MBM, 1945
Reconciliation of the Great Four Lecture I – Science March 22, 1945 The desire of people for proof is natural and right for something secure. This has a close relation to our subject. Because the step of organization and integration among the people of the earth is analogous to what we need to do in […]
Topical Outline of Classes and Notes there-on, MBM, 1945-1946
Topical Outline of Classes MBM Series 1945 – 1946 Advanced Class Opening Evening Oct. 8, 1945. MBM with Monday Training Group: Happiness; being right with the highest in yourself; plumb line; well-being and the plumb line; breaking the wheel; sittings. Oct. 25, 1945: the three categories of all knowledge; Cosmos; continuity of life; etheric body; […]
Western Esoteric Training – MBM, 1944
WESTERN ESOTERIC TRAINING (Two lectures by MBM) Lecture I November 7, 1944 Premises other conditions (than those of earth and 3rd dimension); increased faculties in man; continuity of individual life; responsibility for one’s own stature. Man can attain higher stature. Many names for that high goal. Every great race has its description of that Journey. […]
The Ladders of Development
When you are alone for days or weeks at a time, you eventually become drawn to people. Talking to randos is the norm. I’ll never forget the conversation with the aquarium fisherman, forest ranger, and women at the Thai market. It’s refreshing to compare notes on life with people from vastly different backgrounds.